THE TASKS OF HOME. Yes," sighed mamma; when everything
ALICE CARY. else is in order, that closet rises up before me
I HEAR them tell in far-off climes- like a nightmare. I must straighten it out
And treasures grand they hold this evening."
Of minster walls where stained light falls, "But it looks very nice to-night," con-
On canvas rare and old. tinued Aunt Julia. "Shawls all folded on
My hands fall down, my breath comes fast,
But, ah! how can I roam? the shelves; hoods and gloves and hats and
My task I know: to spin and sew, rubbers in their proper places. Could hardly
And light the fire at home. believe my eyes."
_" There is a certain little girl," said papa,
PLAYING BROWNIE. "who often forgets to put my gown and slip-
pers by the fire, but the fairy must have done
BESSIE PEGG MACLATHILAN. it to-night. Have you had a dull day, Puss? "
T was a very dismal, rainy Saturday; and "The pleasantest Saturday I can remem-
a very dismal little girl, with something ber," replied Alice.
that looked like a rain-drop running over each No one would have thought her to be the
cheek, stood at the sitting-room window, child who pouted at the rain that morning.
drumming drearily on the pane, through
which there was nothing to be seen but a
rubber-coated grocery boy with a basket on TROTTY MALONE.
his arm. MARY MAPES DODGE.
"What a horrid, horrid day!" pouted -T OYS and girls, come riddle and ravel;
Alice Kent. BD Tell me how you would like to travel.
"What a little Miss Grumblekin!" ex-
claimed busy Aunt Julia, as she hurried Crispy, crackly, snow and tingle -
through the room, clad in her gossamer Give me sleighs!" said Jennie Jingle.
through the room, clad in her gossamer
waterproof, en route for the market. Stony, bumpty, bang and bolter-
But, auntie, I haven't anybody to play Give me carts!" said Johnny Jolter.
with."
Aunt Julia stopped a moment. "I know 1 si, glidy, jerk, h wifter
a nice game you can play all by yourself,"
she said. Flippetty, cricketty, elegant go-
"What is it?" asked Alice. "Give me a buggy!" said Benjamin Beau.
"Play you are a good brownie," replied "A fig for them all!" cried Trotty Malone,
her aunt. "Your mother has a great deal "Give me a stout pair of legs of my own!"
to attend to this morning."
"What do good brownies do, Aunt Julia?"
"Things to help people when nobody sees," THE BEE AND JUPITER.
was the reply. "Surprises, you know." BEE from Mount Hymettus, the queen
Then she was gone. of the hive, ascended to Olympus, to
Alice stood and watched the umbrella turn present to Jupiter some honey fresh from
the corner, then her face brightened, and she her combs. Jupiter, delighted with the of-
ran up-stairs as fast as her feet could carry fearing of honey, promised to give whatever
her. she should ask. She therefore besought him,
As the family sat at the cozy tea-table that saying, Give me, I pray thee, a sting, that
evening, mamma remarked, "I believethere il any mortal shall approach to tak- myi
has been a good fairy around to-day. Some- honey, I may kill him. Jupiter was niin;iI
body dusted my room, and put my work- displeased, for he loved much the race of
basket to rights, and arranged my top drawer man, but could not refuse the request on ac-
beautifully." count of his promise. He thus answered the
Why, that is strange, Ellen," said grand- Bee: You shall have your request; but it
ma; "I had a similar experience. Somebody will be at the peril of your own life. For if
found my spectacles, and saved me the trouble you use your sting, it shall remain in the
of coming down after the morning paper." wound you make, and then you will die
"I wish you would notice the hall closet," from the loss of it. "
interjected Aunt Julia. "You know it's a Evilv Wi'.:;. ik- chickens, come lh.we- to
catch-all for the family." roost.

"NO, I'LL TAKE HOLD, AND YOU TAKE your naturally sweet and cheerful disposi-
HOLD." tion. If you are of the softer, fairer portion
Ms. M. .KIDDR. of humanity, be cheerful; though we know
STET me carry your pail, my dear, full well that most affections are sweet to
U Brimming over with water ?" you when compared with disappointment
"No; I'll take hold, and you take hold," and neglect, yet let hope banish despair and
Answered the farmer's daughter. ill forebodings. Be cheerful: do not brood
Sh h o s over fond hopes unrealized, until a chain,
As her merry eyes grew brighter; link after link, is fastened on each thought
So she took hold and he took hold, and wound around the heart. Nature in-
And it made the burden lighter, tended you to be the fountain-spring of
cheerfulness and social life, and not the
And every day the oaken pail, traveling monument of despair and melan-
Over the well-(c .!1I -li.! .iuL. choly.
Was upward drawn by hands of brawn,
Cool, and so softly dripping.
TWO POETS.
And every day the burden seemed
Lighter by being divided; NE sat upon a pinnacle alone,
For he took hold and she took hold / Musing on lofty thoughts that search and climb,
By the self-same spirit guided. And pierce the inner secrecy of time.
Above his head the keen stars burned and shone;
The wedding bells were rung at morn, Beneath, the d i: ,,,.1 1,,,11.. ,; 1.. i';- I made moan.
The bridal blessings given, He caught Lu ,- ... t !.. l. ,
And now the pair, without a care, Ineffable, unspeakable, sublime,
Entered an earthly heaven. And there supreme, serene upon his throne,
Rapt visions circled him, dim prophecies,
Vague ultimate glories while the blue mists curled
When storm and sunshine mingled, they Over a meaner, sadder, happier world.
Would seldom trouble borrow, The blazing scroll of awful mysteries
And when it came they met the same Unrolled before his kindling eyes. He trod
With a bright hope of to-morrow. Apart the mountain peak and sang to God.

And now they're at the eve of life, The other paced incessant to and fro
While the western sky grows brighter; The crowded lanes of cities, where the light
For she took hold and he took hold, Of obscure firesides streamed into the night;
And it made the burden lighter. Babble of childish laughter, humble woe,
The common troubles that the common know,
BE CHEERFUL. The din of homely labor and the sight
Of homely pleasures, struggles wrong or right
ARTHUR HELPS. Unheard, unheeded, narrow lines and low,
B E cheerful, no matter what reverses ob- He stooped and wove them garlands for his art;
struct your pathway, or what plagues ansfigured by the magic of his song
struck your pathway, or what plagues The simple joys and sorrows of the throng;
follow you in your trail to annoy you. Ask Laid his great heart upon the people's heart;
yourself what is to be gained by looking or Garnered a harvest of the scattered sheaves,
feeling sad when troubles throng around And then,
you, or how your condition is to be allevi- Careless of deeper things, he sang to men.
ated by abandoning yourself to despondency.
If you are a young man, nature designed THE MASTER AND HIS DOGS.
you to "be of good cheer;" and should you
find your road to fortune, fame or respecta- A CERTAIN man, detained by a storm in
ability, or any other boon to which your young A his country house, first of all killed his
heart aspires, a little thorny, consider it all sheep, and then his goats for the main-
for the best, and that these impediments are tenance of his household. The storm still
only thrown in your way to induce greater continuing, he was obliged to slaughter his
efforts and more patient endurance on your yoke oxen for food. On seeing this his Dogs
part. Far better spend a whole life in dili- took counsel together and said, "It is time
gent, aye, cheerful and unremitting toil, for us to be off; for if the master spare not
though you never attain the pinnacle of your his oxen who work for his gain, how can we
ambitious desires, than to turn back at the expect him to spare us?"
first :.'1I .11r..:'- of misfortune, and allow He is not to be trusted as a friend who ill-
despair to unnerve your energies, or sour treats his own family.

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 15

LIZ

-_-_-- ---

A CANADIAN BOAT SONG.
THOMAS MOORE.
F AINTLY as tolls the evening chima, Why should we yet our sail unfurl?
Our voices keep tune, and our oars keep There is not a breath the blue wave to curl. .*
Soon as the woods on shore look dim, [time. But when the wind blows off the shore
We'll sing at St. Ann's our parting hymn. Oh! sweetly we'll rest our weary oar.
Row, brothers, row! the stream runs fast, Blow. breezes, blow! the stream runs fast,
SThe rapids are near and the daylight's past. Til.- 1i i.,i-ai. o- iar, and the daylight's past.
Row, brothers, row! the stream runs fast, .. v.-, i... H,. -, i. w I the stream runs fast, [
The rapids are near and the daylight's past. The rapids are near and the daylight's past.

Mi Utawa's tide! this trembling moon
Shall see us afloat o'er thy surges soon.
Saint of this green isle, hear our prayers, .
Oh grant us cool heavens and favoring airs!
Blow, breezes, blow! the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past.
Row, brothers, row I the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near and the daylight's past.

16 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

MR. DREAM-MAKER. at too great a distance for the thunder to be
SAMUEL MINTURN PECK. audible.
Come, Mr. Dream-maker, sell me to-night But the most remarkable of all the mani-
The loveliest dream in your shop; festations of electricity is globular lightning,
My dear little lassie is weary of light, in appearance like a ball of fire moving leis-
Her lids are beginning he's t hired of play,drop urely along, and remaining visible, it may be,
She's good when she's gay, but she's tired of play,
And the teardrops will naughtily creep; several minutes. Many curious facts are re-
So, Mr. Dream-maker, hasten, I pray, lated of its vagaries. One of the most inter-
My little girl's going to sleep. testing and circumstantial is that given by
Mr. Fitzgerald, County Donegal, Ireland;
FACTS ABOUT LIGHTNING. who saw a globe of fire slowly descend from
VERY one is familiar with the fact that the Glendowan Mountains to the valleys be-
lightning does not spring direct from low. Where it first touched the ground, it
cloud to cloud, to the earth, but pursues a excavated a hole about twenty feet square,
zig-zag course. This is due to the fact that "as if it had been cut out with a huge
the air is not equally humid throughout. knife."
Electricity always takes the path which offers This was scarcely the work of a minute.
least resistance to its passage. Damp air is For a distance of twenty perches it plowed
a better conducting medium than dry air; a trench about four feet deep, and moving
consequently, the lightning selects the damp- along the bank of. a stream, it made a furrow
est route, avoiding the drier strata and zones a foot in depth. Finally, it tore away part
it encounters, and advances, now directly, of the bank five perches in length and five
now obliquely, until it reaches the opposite feet deep, and "hurling the immense mass
cloud, where it subdivides into a number into the bed of the stream, it flew into the
of forks. Owing to the resistance it en- opposite peaty bank." The globe was visible
counters in its path, intense heat is gener- twenty minutes, and traversed a distance of
ated, which causes the air to expand. Im- a mile, showing that its progress was, for
mediately after the flash, the air again con- lightning, very slow indeed. During thun-
tracts with great violence and with a loud der-storms of extreme violence on Deeside,
report, which is echoed and re-echoed among balls of fire are occasionally seen to roll down
the clouds. The report reaches the ear of the sides of Lochnagar, which are, no doubt,
the listener from varying distances, is drawn identical with globular lightning.
out into a series, and, being still further pro-
longed by the echos, the roll of the thunder THE SALT MERCHANT AND HIS ASS.
is produced. A PEDDLER, dealing in salt, drove his
It is a curious fact that, although the .A Ass to the sea-shore to buy salt. His
sound of thunder is exceedingly loud when road home lay across a stream, in passing
heard near at hand, the area over which it is which his Ass, making a false step, fell by
audible is comparatively circumscribed. The accident into the water, and rose up again
noise of a cannonade will be heard under with his load considerably lighter, as the
favorable conditions, at a distance of nearly water melted the salt. The Peddler retraced
a hundred miles, while the sound of thunder his steps, and refilled his panniers with a
does not travel over fifteen miles. The oc- larger quantity of salt than before. When
currency of the thunder and the lightning is, he came again to the stream, the Ass fell
of course, simultaneous; but as light travels down on purpose in the same spot, and, re-
faster than sound-its passage is practically gaining his feet with the weight of his load
instantaneous-the flash may be seen several much diminished, brayed triumphantly as if
seconds before the thunder is heard. The he had obtained what he desired. The Ped-
distance of thunder may thus be approxi- dler saw through his trick, and drove him for
mately estimated, an interval of five seconds the third time to the coast, where he bought
between the flash and the thunder-clap being a cargo of sponges instead of salt. The Ass
allowed to the mile. again pl.1..i, the knave, when he reached
Sheet-lightning has the appearance of a the stream, fell down on purpose, when the
sheet of flame momentarily illuminating sponges becoming swollen with the water, his
part of the sky or cloud-surface. It is, in load was very greatly increased ; and thus his
reality, but the reflection of lightning flash- trick recoiled on himself in fitting to his
ing beyond the horizon or behind the clouds, back a doubleburden.

HELEN HUNT JACKSON. The universe holds nothing planned
THOMAS w. HANDFORD. With such sublime, transcendent artt
rT HE name of Helen Hunt Jackson,-whose Yes, Death, I own I grudge thee mine;
Portrait will be found on the next page, Poor little hand, so feeble now;
is dear to many thousands. She was one Its wrinkled palm,i altered line,
of our sweetest poets, a member of that
growing Guild of singing, suffering woman- *
ood, whose songs have brought solace to the Ah, well, friend Death, good friend thou art;
troubled, and courage to the despairing. I shall be free when thou art through.
Helen Hunt Jackson was born at Amherst, Take all there is-take hand and heart;
Massachusetts, October 18, 1831. Her father There must be somewhere work to do.
was professor of languages and philosophy in Helen Hunt Jackson now lies at peace in
Amherst College. Early in life she lost both her strange mountain grave, but the songs
father and mother. In 1852 she was mar- she sang will live through many years to
ried to Major Hunt, of the United States cheer the sorrowful and inspire the sad. A
Army. For a time life was very glad and friend who knew her well thus describes her
beautiful for the young poetess, but the grave: "To-day I visited the grave of my
shadows soon darkened her path. In August, friend, Helen Hunt Jackson. The burial
1854, her first-born son, Murray, died; in place was of her own choosing, about 2,000
1863, her husband was killed; and two years feet above her home at Colorado Springs,
later her second son, Warren, died of diph- and 8,000 feet above the level of the Atlantic
theria. The sweetness of Mrs. Jackson's ocean. She selected as her final resting-
songs is to be accounted for largely on the place a plateau upon the top of the Cheyenne
theory that the nightingale sings sweetly mountains. The chosen place was one
because of the thorn in its throat. For nine where she had spent much of her leisure
years she walked the path of life alone, time in exploring the mountains. Many
cheered mainly by the songs that came from pilgrims from all parts of this country, and
the depths of her own sorrow. In 1875 she from abroad also, visit this mountain grave.
was married to William S. Jackson, of Colo- "Why," almost every one asks, "this strange
radio Springs. Then came ten happy years, place of burial ?" If the dead cannot speak,
years of joyful home life, and of happy the living cannot answer. The mountain
service in the fields of sacred song. In the site is where everything is grand and beauti-
summer of 1884 it was discovered that she ful in nature-where nothing can ever dis-
was suffering from a malignant cancer. The turb her love of sweet repose and rest- -There
last year of her life was spent in pain and the passing clouds and the heavens are
anguish, but she did not murmur, she bowed nearer than the boundless sweep of plains
with patience to the will divine. Some of below-where, with a clearer sky, if possible,
her latest songs were the sweetest. As death than elsewhere, one can look through nature
drew near she bade him welcome-there was up to nature's God."
no terror for her in his demands. Hear how
she sings: TO THE MEMORY OF HELEN HUNT
Ah, well, friend Death, good friend thou art;
Thy only fault thy lagging gait, JACKSON.
Mistaken pity in thy heart EDITH M. THOMAS.
For timorous ones that bid thee wait.
REAT heart of many loves while earth was
And yet, with all her love of work strong REAf mny love while eahine,th was
upon her, she could not help grudging Death, Thou didst love nature and her every mood:
the busy hand and the throbbing heart, and so Beneath thine eye the frail flower of the wood
with the last effort of a life that had been Uplifted not in vain its fleeting sign,
both sad and beautiful-as beautiful as sad And on thy hearth the mast-tree's blaze benign,
ot sad and beautiful-as beautiful as sad With all its sylvan lore, was understood !
-she yields to the summons all must answer, Seems homely Nature's mother-face less good,
not without the hope that otherwhere, in Spirit down-gazing from the Fields Divine ?
some happy region beyond this world of Oh, let me bring these gathered leaves of mine,
weakness and pain, there must be work for Praising the common earth, the rural year,
the toi. And consecrate them to thy memory dear,-
the toiler. Thought's pilgrim to thy mortal body's shrine,
Oh, feeble, mighty human hand! Beneath soft shedding of the mountain pine
Oh, fragile, dauntless human heart! And trailing mountain heath untouched with sere I

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 19

------'

II MIi '
I .1

.. ,, -[ .,S ,, ,i..

,- '"* "

20 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

THE LITTLE STONE SCHOOLHOUSE. inquired of her how she fared; she replied,
GEO. NEWELL LOVEJOY. "I want for nothing, and have only one
THE little stone schoolhouse wish, that the dry weather may continue,
Still stands on the green, and the sun shine hot and bright, so that the
Where it stood in my boyhood bricks might be dried." He said to her,
When life was serene; "If your sister wishes for rain, and you for
And around it the sunshine dry weather, with which of the two am I to
Falls just as of old- join my wishes?"
As in days long since vanished,
The dear days of old!
WISHES.
nder its windows WIS
The violets grow, T USED to wish I was a bird,
Just as they used to Last summer when the days were long
Long, long years ago; With nothing else at all to do
But fly about and sing a song.
And the brown-coated swallow But in the drowsy afternoons
Still builds her rude nest But in the drowsy afternoons
Still builds her rude nest I even wished I were a sheep,
der e eaves where Then I should have no bothering books,
Naught can molest; But lie among the grass and sleep.
While the robin still sings in I even thought I'd like to be
The butternut tree, A gorgeous, bright-winged '-ii.rily,
Hard by the place that To idly float in shining air,
Is hallowed to me. Or in the flower-cups to lie.
Children pass in through But now the winter-time has come,
The wide open door, And all is frost and cold and drear;
Just as they did in The trees are bare, the hillside bleak,
The fond days of yore: How warm and bright and pleasant here
And the grass is as green, and And see the birdie's bare, cold feet,
The skies soft and fair, While I am now so warmly dressed,
As amid the dear days when And hear the shivering lambkins bleat,
My heart knew no care; Ah! God is good, and knoweth best
While the breezes so fragrant The butterfly! O where is he?
Blow over the green, Poor thing, he perished long ago,
As they did in my boyhood And buried with my lovely flowers
When life was serene Is covered deep and white with snow
But the children who pass in Poor birds and sheep and butterflies,
Through the wide open door, I'm glad my wishes can't come true,
And who sport on the green, are I'll take my books and study hard -
Not they they of yore! Much better be a boy than you.
And my heart it grows sad, and
Tears fill my eyes, THE NEW BABY.
As I look on their faces MARY NoRroN anFon.
Where happiness lies.
r h ___ i HAT strange little man can this be,
V So weird and so wizened and wise?
THE FATHER AND HIS TWO DAUGH- What mystical things has he seen
TERS. With those wide-open wondering eyes?
A MAN had two daughters, the one mar- What treasures unfold, from what lands,
ried to a gardener, and the other to a Do his soft baby fingers enfold?
tile-maker. After a time he went to the What word does he bring from afar,
tle-maker. After arime he went to the This stranger so young, yet so old?
daughter who had married the gardener, and
inquired how she was, and how all things Does he bring us some message from spheres
wen with her. he said "All things are Unheard of, from worlds we knownot-
went with her. -She said "All things are Starry countries we dwell in, mayhap,
prospering with me, and I have only one As babies, and now have forgot?
wish, that there may be a heavy fall of rain,
in.order that the plants may be well water Who can tell what he knows, what he thinks?
inrder that the plants may be well water- He says not a word, but he looks,
ed." Not long after, he went to the daughter In a minute, more wisdom, I'll swear,
who had married the tile-maker, and likewise Than is shut in the biggest of books.

EMPTY HEADS. II.
REV. C. KINGSLEY. At evening, four
Little forms in white;
I verily believe that a great deal of bad Prayers all said,
company, drunkenness, and folly, and sin And the ast good-night,
Tucking them safe
comes from mere want of knowledge, from In each downy bed,
emptiness of head. A young man or young Silently asking
woman will not learn, will not read, and O'er each head,
therefore they have nothing useful or profit- That the dear Father
able to employ their leisure hours, nothing In heaven will keep
Safe all my darlings,
to think of when they are not actually at Awake or asleep.
work; and so they run off to vain and often Then I think the old adage true will prove
wicked amusements. Gambling, what does "It is easy to labor for those that we love."
that ruinous vice come from save from idle- III.
ness of head, from having nothing to amuse Ah me! dear me! I often say,
your minds with save cards and dice? and so As I hang the tumbled clothes away,
And the tear-drops start,
"The devil finds some mischief still While my burdened heart
For idle hands to do." Aches for the mother across the way,
Where, O where, are
Therefore if you want to keep your brain and Her nestlings flown ?
thoughts out of temptation, read and learn; All, all are gone,
get useful knowledge: and all knowledge-I Save one alone!
say all knowledge-must be useful. I care Folded their garments
little what you read, provided you do not With tenderest care,
Unpressed the pillow
read wicked books; or what you think of, And vacant the chair;
provided you do not think of sin and folly. No ribbons to tie,
For all knowledge must be useful, because it No faces to wash,
is knowledge of God's works. Nothing lives No hair all awry;
knwldg ,No merry voices
upon earth but what God has made. Nothing To hush into rest;
happens upon earth but what God has done. God save them!
So whatever you study,. you may be certain He took them,
you are studying God's works and God's And he knoweth best.
laws; and they must always be worth the But ah! the heart-anguish! the tears that fall!
study of rational beings and children of God.
Learn what you like, only learn; for you are
in God's world, and as long as you learn THE SECRET OF JOY.
about God's world your time cannot be J. G. HOLLAND.
thrown away. BELIEVE that twice as much may be
I enjoyed in this life as is now enjoyed if
A MOTHER'S WORK. people would only take and use the blessings
I. which heaven confers upon them for present
AKING, stewing, and 1., use. We strive to accumulate beyond our
I:) ... ;-.' frying, and i. !',,.- wants and beyond the wants of our families.
Sweeping, dusting and cleaning, In doing this we deny ourselves leisure,
\.a !:il starching, and ironing, recreation, culture and social relaxation. It
C'rit, I..ng, and Istitching is not often that great accumulations of
li tL,.. the old like new: wealth do anybody good. They usually spoil
... .. I lace, the happiness of two generations-one in get-
F ,I... i. i ting and one in spending.
Buttons to sew,
And the like of such:
Stockings to darn THE WORLD'S TWILIGHT.
While the children play,
Stories to tell, G. n. WILcOX.
Tears wipe away, r IHE world is yet in the twilight, doubt-
Making them happy less, but it is the twilight of the break-
The livelong day:
It is ever thus from morn till night: ing dawn, not the falling night. Despair of
Who says that a mother's work is light? the world's future is disloyalty to God.

PORTRAITS OF A DOZEN POETS. IX. BURNS.
I. SHAKESPEARE. He seized his country's lyre,
With ardent grasp and strong;
H IS was the wizard spell, And made his soul of fire
The spirit to enchain; Dissolve itself in song.
His grasp o'er nature fell,
Creation own'd his reign. xI. nHooD.
N. Impugn I dare not thee,
II. MILTON. For I'm of puny brood;
His spirit was the home And thou would'st punish me
Of ,-.ii L .- high; With pungent hardiHooD.
A temple whose huge dome
Was hidden in the sky.
BOYS OF MARVELLOUS MEMORY.
III. BYRON.
W. E. WINKS.
Black clouds his forehead bound,
And at his feet were flowers: T HERE are boys whose memories are so
Mirth, Madness, Magic, found retentive that lessons of a certain kind
In him their keenest powers, present to them no difficulty. They find the
task of learning a luxury rather than a labor.
Iv. sCOTT. But it is a luxury only when they have to do
He sings, and lo! Romance with a special class of subjects for which they
Starts from its mouldering urn, have a rare aptitude. In other departments
While Chivalry's bright lance they are no better off than their school-
And nodding plumes return, fellows.
fellows.
v. SPENSER. Verbal memory is the strong point with
most lads who have a name for the possession
Wihin ath' en d wliomb of a good memory. Dr. Valpy, the learned
Bright streams and groves, whose bloom head-master of Reading .Free Grammar
Is lit by Una's eye. School, and a number of friends, were chat-
ting over the dinner-table one day, when the
vi. WORDSWORTH. subject of memory turned up. The Doctor
He hung his harp upon told the company that a boy in one of the
Philosophy's pure shrine, upper forms of his school could learn a
And placed by Nature's throne, hundred lines from any part of Virgil, aild
Composed each placid line. repeat them in an hour. His friends were
VII. COLERIDGE. astonished, and seemed rather doubtful, when
the Doctor offered to back his assertion by a
Magician, whose dread spell, wager. The challenge was accepted, and the
Working in pale moonliht, boy called in. The company made their own
From Superstition's cell
Invokes each satellite, selection of the piece to be learned, and in
something less than an hour young Charretie
vIII. COWPER. -for that was his name-came back and
Religious light is shed said his task correctly.
Upon his soul's dark shrine; Dr. Thomas Brown, the eminent lecturer
And Vice veils o'er her head on Mental Philosophy at E;lnl,,1. _1. had a
At his denouncing line. remarkable' memory, which stood him in
good stead a-' I -...]1-1,:,', He made a first-
Ix. TIoMSON. rate start in lii-.-lii : Iy learning, as a very
The Seasons as they roll little child, t i.- v'.l, I1 ..t the alphabet in one
Shall bear thy name along; lesson.
And graven on the soul When he was at school in London, like
Of Nature, live thy song.
other boys who went "beyond bounds," he
x. HEMANS. had to pny the penalty of learning a certain
number .-.I lines from Milton. The task was
U To the b arom ts shrine, rather congenial to young Tom Brown, for
And thrill the quivering heart he was exceedingly fond of poetry. The
\ With pity's voice, are thine. master soon discovered this; and on a certain
t

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 25

occasion, when the offense seemed to justify a memory as nearly perfect and universal as
a little more rigor, resolved to "fix him," as can well be imagined. It was reported of
he said, and give him "a task that even he him, says Locke, "that till the decay of his
would not learn in a hurry." Soon after," health had impaired his mind, he forgot
he says, I was called out of the room, and, nothing of what he had done, read, or thought
to my utter astonishment, when I returned, in any part of his rational age." What
which was in a very few minutes, he came trouble can it ever have been to Blaise Pascal
up and repeated it every word, without mak- to learn lessons?
ing the slightest mistake." It appears, from Dr. Johnson is another celebrity who is
Dr. Brown's own account of the affair, that credited with a never-failing memory, and
the master's "few minutes" seemed to be a the ease with which he got his task-lessons,
long time to the pupil; for he said, in talk- even in childhood, may be guessed by the
ing to a friend about the circumstance many story told by his step-daughter, Miss Lucy
years after: I remember being very impatient Porter, who received it from Johnson's
for the master's return, and was ready for him mother. When he was a child in petticoats,
some time before he made his appearance." and had learned to read, Mrs. Johnson one
The stories told of Sir William Jones, the morning put the Common Prayer Book into
eminent linguist and Oriental scholar, are his hands, pointed to the collect for the day,
equally astonishing. While he was at Har- and said, "Sam, you must get this by heart."
row his schoolfellows decided to enact one of She went up-stairs, leaving him to study it;
Shakespeare's plays for their own amusement, but by the time she had reached the second
and, at his suggestion, decided on perform- floor she heard him following her. What's
ing the "Tempest." They had no copy of the matter?" said she. "I can say it," he
the play and could not easily procure one, so replied; and he repeated it distinctly, though
young Jones came to their relief by writing he could not have read it more than twice.
it out "so correctly from memory that they
acted it with great satisfaction to themselves,
and with considerable entertainment to the SONG OF THE WIND.
spectators." It was a positive pleasure to I'VE a great deal to do, a great deal to do,
this boy of marvellous memory to learn a t Don't speak to me, children, I pray;
engage which lay beyond the range of his these little boys' hats must be blown off their heads,
language which lay beyond the range of his And the little girls' bonnets away.
ordinary school work. He could find no
better amusement for the leisure afforded by There are bushels of apples to gather today,
his vacations than the acquisition of French, nd oh there's no end to ee nuts;
Over many long roads I must travel away,
Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese. That he And many by-lanes and short cuts.
did not learn these languages in any slipshod
manner is shown by the fact that his reply to There are thousands of leaves lying lazily here,
manner is shown by the fact that his reply to That needs must be whirled round and round,
Du Perron's attack on Oxford-written when A rickety hut wants to see me, I know,
Jones was at Oxford-was couched in French, In the most distant part of the town.
"so racy and idiomatic," that several French m h ,
savanis took it to be the work of some lively Th rih nahbobs load mus heae p ood shake,
writer in Paris. And I must not slight Betty, who washes so nice,
Speaking of Paris reminds us of the young And has just hung her clothes out to dry.
French scholar, Turnebus, who afterwards There are signs to be creaked, and doors to be
acquired great fame as a classical scholar and slammed,
critic. When he was at school in the French Loose window-blinds, too, must be shaken.
capital, so extensively had he read, and so When you know all the business I must do today,
perfectly had he remembered t1 ,_. that You will see how much trouble I've taken.
his tutors frequently avowed that their prom- I saw some ships leaving the harbor today,
rising scholar knew much more on many sub- So I'll e'en go and help them along,
jects than they did. And flap the white sails and howl. through the
Pascal, who lived about a century later- And oin in the sailor boy's song.
"the marvellous boy," who discovered, as a
child of eight years or more, some of the Then I'll mount to the clouds, and away they will
principles of geometry, and wrote at sixteen sail
principles of geom and wrote at sixteen On their glorious wings through the bright sky,
years of age, a treatise on conic sections, I bow to no mandate save only to Him
which astonished Descartes-was gifted with Who reigneth in glory on high.

26 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

MR. NOBODY. upon his back. The servants hearing the
I KNOW a funny little man, strange hubbub, and perceiving the danger
As quiet as a mouse, of their master, quickly relieved him, and
Who does the mischief that is done drove out the Ass to his stable, with kicks
In everybody's house faceand clubs and cuffs. The Ass, as he re-
There's no one ever sees his face;
And yet we all agree turned to his stall beaten nearly to death,
That every plate we break was cracked thus lamented: "I have brought it all on
By Mr. Nobody. myself Why could I not have been con-
Tishe who always tears our books, tented to labor with my companions, and
Who leaves the door ajar; not wish to be idle all the day like that use-
He pulls the buttons from our skirts, less little Lap-dog ?"
And scatters pins afar.
That squeaking door will always squeak;
For, prithee, don't you see, ROSE LEAVES.
We leave the oiling to be done O
By Mr. Nobody. TTNDER the feet of the years,
By Hidden from life and light,
He puts the-amp wood on the fire, With its burden of grief and tears,
That kettles cannot boil; The past has gone from my sight,
His feet are the feet that bring in mud, Leaving only a dream,
And all the carpets soil. And a lonely -rave by the sea,
The papers always are mislaid: And a song,. it-, i.ve for a theme,
Who had them last but he? Set to a minor key.
There's no one tosses them about Like one who gathers the leaves
But Mr. Nobody. Of a fragrant rose that is dead;
The finger marks upon the doors And sighs as he sadly grieves
By none of us are made; At the life and beauty fled;
i- 1,- 1 ve the blinds unclosed, So I, from the buried past,
r.k i i , curtains fade. Call back in its bloom a rose,
The ink we never spill; the boots And wonder if dreams that last
Th k never spll;the boo Are the best that man ever knows.
That lying round you see,
Are not our boots, they all belong I have only a dream in my heart,
To Mr. Nobody. And a face that is now in my eyes!
Can a new love's smile impart
The love that never dies?
THE ASS AND THE LAP-DOG. Can rose leaves, withered and dried,
The love a new love would buy
A MAN had an Ass and a Maltese Lap- Be longerr thane es1 tl
dog, a very great beauty. The Ass With its coin of ..- o .: ....1'
was left in a stable, and had plenty of oats
and hay to eat, just as any other Ass would. In my heart lives only a dream,
The Lap-dog knew many tricks, and was a In mine gost s th g eyes gleam,
great favorite with his master, who often I:,. 0l ..1.. desire fed.
fondled him, and seldom went out to dine But the withered leaves in my hand
or to sup without bringing him home some Are sweet with the rose's breath,
titbit to eat, when he frisked and jumped And a voice from the shadow land
titbit to eat, when he frisked and jumped than life or death
about him in ua manner pleasant to see. he Is stronger than life or death.
Ass, on the ::-o!it i y, had much work to doWO GREAT TRUTHS
in grinding the corn-mill, and in carrying T O GET T H
wood from the forest or burdens from the TH E divinest attribute in the heart of man
farm. He often lamented his ownhard fate, is love, and the mightiest, because the
and contrasted it with the luxury and idle- most human principle in the heart of man is
ness of the Lap-dog, till at last one day he faith. Love is heaven; faith is that which
broke his cords and halter, and galloped into appropriates heaven.-F. W. Robertson.
his master's house, kicking up his heels with- The best thing to give to your enemy is for-
out measure, and frisking and fawning as giveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a
well as he could. He next tried to jump friend, your heart; to your child, a good
about his master as he had seen the Lap-dog example; tn i- father, deference; to your
do, but he broke the table and smashed all mother, c..nl.,.t that will make her proud
the dishes upon it to atoms. He then at- of you; to yourself, respect; to all menj
tempted to lick his master, and jumped L -ri'.--' .. .i .'*.

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 27

-- J '" .-
.. -, -
I ,< _ -- -.

.

a .-- N .
PAPA'S PRIDEAND IA I-' J-OY.-
-- .,

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I,' I, ,," PAPA:"' S PRIDE AN MAMMA ,, JOY, -.-

28 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

UNC' ABE ON AUTUMN. a lovely Indian maiden died of a broken
D E woods looks black, dey's ketchen afire, heart on account of the faithlessness of her
De leaves is tu'nin' red; lover; that her spirit sought refuge in the
An' de moon hit shine so pooty at night darkest nooks in the forest, where sounds
Dat I hates ter go ter bed, of her sobbing and wailing are frequently
De muscadines is black an' nice, heard among the trees; that the tears she
De 'simmons is gittin' sweet; sheds are drops of blood, and wherever one
De 'possum is gittin' sassy an' fat-- of these touches the earth there springs up a
0, won't dey make good meat! crimson plant.
I tell yer de 'possum am er glor'us ting
When he's fixed up nice an' juicy; WORTH REMEMBERING.
An' dar ain't nobody ken fix 'am better OTIING can make a man truly great
Den my ol' lady Lucy. ^TOHD can make a man trly great
DemN but being truly good, and partaking
She takes him an' she cooks him, of God's holiness.-- Mattihew Henry.
An' she browns him nice an' sweet.
Yer smacks yer lips an' pitches in; Religion is the most gentlemanly thing of
Yer eat', an' eat, an' eat. the world. It alone will gentilize, if un-
An' when yer eat, an' eat, an' eat, mixed with cant.- Coleridge.
Till year's full ez er ken hol', It is the triumph of civilization that at
Yer hopes dar's 'possum for to eat always
Up yonder whar de streets is gol'. last communities have obtained such a mas-
tery over natural laws that they drive them
An' dis is why I like de fall and control them. The winds, the water,
De bes' uv all de seasons; electricity, all agents that in their wild form
Case denit is de 'possum's ripe,
An' dat's de bes' uv reasons were dangerous, are controlled by human
will, and are made useful servants.- Beecher.
THE SNOW PLANT. The mind is its own place, and in itself
NE of the most interesting products of can make heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.
O NE of the most interesting products of _2Milton.
\J the Sierra Nevada mountains is the
beautiful snow plant. The scientific name No way has been found for making hero-
for this flower is ,,., r.. .; sanguine, meaning ism easy, even for the scholar. Labor, iron
"blooded flesh." June is its month of labor, is for him. The world was created as
blooming, and it can be found growing in an audience for him; the atoms of which it
secluded spots in the mountains, where the is made are opportunities.- Emerson.
snow falls deepest in the winter, and where No y
the fall grass grows- thickly and casts an un- body knows New England who is not
broken shade. The plant itself is from four on terms o intimacy with one of its lms.
to ten inches in height, and is of a bright The elm comes nearer to having a soul han
scarlet color, including leaves and flowers, any other vegetable creature among us.
although the stem is pink-and-white. The
flowers are attached close to the stem, and Laughing, if loud, ends in a deep sigh;
the leaves curl upward and partially hide the and all pleasures have a sting in the tail,
flowers from view, the whole being in the. though they carry beauty on the face.- Jere-
form of a cone. The leaves have a delicate my Taylor.
frost-like edge, which makes them extreme- The laws of our religion tend to the uni-
ly beautiful. Every visitor to this vicinity versal i.i 1'1'ii.:. of mankind.- Tilloison.
always manages to secure one of these curi-
osities to show to friends below. How A lie has no legs, and cannot stand; but
these plants grow is not known to botanists, it has wi ng and can fly far and wide.-
as they are neither seed nor bulb. They are Bishop i'.'i 1urtion.
supposed to be a parasite, ahd cannot be prop- They who marry give hostages to the pub-
agated. Localities where they are abun- lie that they will not attempt to'ruin or dis-
dant one season may not produce a single turb the peace of it.--Atterbury.
specimen next. A beautiful Indian legend
is connected -%it'i the origin of this flower, Railing among lovers is the next neighbor
which is to the effect that once upon a time to forgiveness.-- Cervantes.

HAIL TO THE GLAD NEW YEAR I music. Of the details of the coming year
THOMAS W. HANDFORD. we must be ignorant, but there are great,
Ring in the vali ant and free, broad, general truths that are quite sufficient
The larger heart, the Iindlier hand; for our guidance.
Ring out the darkness of the lad; From Isaiah, the seraph prophet of
the ancient Jewish church, we gather this
W E cross the threshold of an untrodden word of encouragement: "To-morrow shall
W path to-day. The chimes from ten be as this day, and much more abund-
thousand Sabbath bells announce the advent antly." If the future is to be as the
of another year. In the quietude of our past, if from the memory of days that are
homes, or under the sacred shadow of the gone we may cast the horoscope of the
sanctuary, we confront the joys and sorrows future, what a world of encouragement we
of this new-born period of time. It is some- may gather. If the pillar of fire and the
thing more than idle curiosity that asks, pillars of cloud are still to continue their
"What will this new year bring?" To all guidance, what have we to fear? If the
these earnest questioning there only come water from the smitten rock that followed
vague, uncertain answers. A veil drops before Israel's pilgrim tribes through all their wan-
our feet as we journey on. We live just one derings still continues to flow what have we
heart-beat at a time, we walk only one step to fear concerning thirst? If the manna
at a time. The history of the coming days that fed the hungry wanderers from Egypt is
we may not know. We do not know what a to fall for us-only in different modes-what
day will bring forth. The snow is white on hunger shall we fear? If the mercies that
all the hills to-day; what will come to pass woke the gratitude of David's psalms, and
when the snow has melted and the flowers of made him sing: 0, give thanks unto the
spring are. blooming? Who can tell? It Lord for He is good; for His mercy endureth
maybe that gentle hands will dig a grave for forever. 0, give thanks unto the God of
us in the meadows of May, or when the fall- Gods; for His mercy endureth forever"-if
ing leaf proclaims the year's decline. Who these mercies are to be repeated in 1888, as
can tell? And sometimes our lone, sore, they have been in all the years that are past,
weary hearts yearn for rest, for we have only in more abundant measure, what have
lived long enough to know that we to fear? Let the wildest storms spend
all their fury upon us; the shelter that was
"There is sorrow, sorrow for the pulses that are sufficient for our fathers in the stormy days
beating, gone by, will not fail us in our need. The
foundations of the Rock of Ages remain
And it is well we do not know. If we could unshaken. The stars move on in eternal
feel now the weight of the crosses we shall order through all the changing years, and
have to bear as the days and weeks and God's purposes of mercy are unchanged.
months of the year glide on, it would utterly His love, the one grand hope of the world, is
dismay us; if we could see now the thick the same yesterday, to-day, to-morrow. The
darkness of the clouds that will be sure to one large hopeful thought that these words
overcast our sky, we should lose all courage; of Isaiah suggest is this, tlu.t wli.-,t, we ought
or if we could see to-day the glorious sun- to look for is that the divine goodness will
light that will flood many days of this new reveal itself in grander measures and in more
year with glory, the sight would dazzle us wonderful ways than in the days that are
and render our walk unsteady. It is better gone. This day is to be as yesterday, only
as it is. We do not know, we cannot tell, more abundantly. What we are to look for
and we would not if we could. We know is not darkness, but larger light, a clearer
enough, or we may know enough to satisfy understanding of the divine will, a firmer
us thoroughly that our life is not a chapter grasp on eternal truths, and a richer expe-
of mere accidents. Much of life looks to the. rience of the divine favor. We hail the new-
casual glance as confused as -,,.i,!i---!.: born year! We enter this untrodden path
bells that should ring out melody and music without doubt or misgiving. God is God of
seem jangled, harsh, and out of tune-but the waning years of time. God is God of
there is much method in the madness, and Eternity! God is Light! God is Love! This
oftentimes the life that has been most dis- God is our God, and He shall be our guide
cordant has at last discoursed the divinest even unto death.

THE DROP OF WATER. they all laughed and ran on. The poor lit-
*~ HAT if a drop of rain should plead, tie Daisy was sadly hurt at this, and she
S" So small a drop as I wished they had rather trodden on her with
Can ne'er refresh the thirsty mead, their wooden clogs than laughed her sorrow
I'll tarry in the sky ?" to scorn. So the little Daisy stood
What if a single beam of noon firmly waiting for the cold death; the sun
Should in its fountain stay, was gone down, and she shuddered from
Cannot create a dayo? head to foot in the foggy, frosty air. The
not eah radp h t f cattle were all housed; the rook and the raven
TDoe not eah raeind he to for sheltered for the night; the children had
And every ray of light to warm thrown away their snow-balls and run in to
And beautify the flower? the bright fireside. It was solemnly still in
Go, thou, and strive to do thy share; the white frozen field beneath the gray sky.
One talent, -less than thine, Then a languid step made the snow rustle
Improved with steady zeal and care, lightly, and a girl came slowly by, and seeing
Would gain rewards divine. the little Daisy in the snow, she stooped, and
THE WINTER DAISY. with a warm, ungloved hand gathered the
MATHE WI ER DAU Y.dying blossom and laid it tenderly upon her
MALLY s. CLAUDE. SOft, breathing lips.
IN the winter, when the sun is cold and
the earth benumbed with frost, the field- NOBODY ELSE.
flowers are asleep; they undress themselves
of nearly all their leaves, and sleep until the t AY hODcnG.
spring comes again; but one cold January (I WO little hands so careful and brisk
cannot tell you how it happened, but so it While mother is resting awhile in her chair,
was), a little Daisy had so sweet and vivid a For she has been busy all day.
dream of sunshine and soft air, that, all And the dear little fingers are working for love,
unconscious of the season, it put forth a Although they are tender and wee.
flower-bud. The poor little Daisy was e' o o n ely, se sys o herself-
frightened at finding herself alone in the T s
midst of winter; she looked up at the pale Two little feet just scampered p-stairs,
For Daddy will quickly be here;
sun that shone as it were through a vale of And his shoes must be ready and warm by the fire,
mist in the light blue sky; the air was so That is burning so bright and so clear.
still, too, it made her feel quite strange. No Then she must climb on a chair to keep watch.
singing of birds overhead, no humming of "He cannot come in without me.
bees, no chirping of merry nd When mother is tired, I open the door-
bees, no chirping of merry grasshoppers, and There's nobody else, you see."
yet she had heard them all in her dream; but Two little arms around Daddy's dear neck
Two little arms around Daddy's dear neck,
only the complaining croak ,of the hungry And a soft downy cheek againstt his own;
raven passing by, and every now and then a For out of the nest so cosy and bright,
plaintive wail from the ice of the little lake The little one's mother has flown.
beyond the fields that sounded dismally to She brushes the tear-drops away, as she thinks,
+the poor, ispenchanteid Daisy. er "Now he has no one but me.
the poor, isencanted Daisy. Her mustn't give way; that would make him so sad-
white petals were spread out around the tiny And there's nobody else, you see."
yellow flowerlets, her green stalk was taper Two little tears on the pillow, just shed,
and downy, but she still did not look as the Dropped from the two pretty eyes;
summer daisies do, for the cold had stunted Two little arms stretching out in the dark,
her. growth, and her I -3. i- were i.'-- .: and Two little faint sobbing cries.
uneven, and the gold star within them was "Daddy forgot I was always waked up
tarnished and stainedwith black. The When he whispered 'ood-niht' to me.
tarnished and stained wit black. The 0 mother, come back just to kiss me in bed -
Daisy was too delicate to bear the winter's There's nobody else, you see."
frost unharmed, and so she stood in silent Little true-heart, if mother can look
grief and fear while the hours went l...vlly Out from her home in the skies,
by. When it was near the time of the early She will not pass on to her Haven of Rest
sunset, some 'children came through the While the tears dim her little one's eyes.
field, and when they saw her they cried, If God has shed sorrow around-us just now,
Yet His sunshine is ever to be!
"Loolk! What an ugly little short Daisy! A And He is the comfort of everyone's pain-
Daisy in winter! How ridiculous! and then There's nobody else, you see.

THE WORLD. They came out of the dirt. God made their
MATTHEW BROWMN. beauty out of baseness. The crawling cater-
Gl REAT, wide, beautiful, wonderful World, pillar is a base thing that we despise. But
SWith the wonderful water around you curled, wait a little. God has chosen it, and he will
And the wonderful grass on your breast- soon turn it into the beautiful butterfly that
World, you are beautifully dressed, we all admire.
The wonderful air is over me, Do those black clouds in the west seem to
And the wonderful wind is shaking the tree; grow unlovely and threatening? Wait a lit-
It walks on the water, and whirls the mills, tie while until God's finger, the sunbeam,
And talks to itself on the tops of the hills. touches them, and then you will exclaim:
You friendly Earth, how far do you go, Oh, how beautiful!"
With the wheat fields that nod, and the rivers that
flow,
With cities, and gardens, and cliffs, and isles, A GOOD MAN'S TENDERNESS.
And people upon you for thousands of miles?
Al! you are so great, and I am so sall, OYS are sometimes tempted to think
Ae! you are so great, and I am so small, 1 ) that to be tender-hearted is to be weak
I tremble to think of you, world, at all; u lya Ye te te st be weak
And yet, when I said my prayers to-day, and unmanly. Yet the tenderest heart may
A whisper inside me seemed to say, be associated with all the strongest and most
"You are more than the Earth, though you are such forcible in mind and will. Take, for example,
a dot; the story told of him to whom we owe our
You can love and think, and the Earth cannot! wonderful railway system. George t., 'tI ,: -
son went one day into an upper room of his
BEAUTY OUT OF BASENESS. house and closed the window. It had been
H. T. CROSS. open a long time because of the great heat,
O NE of the lessons we have to learn is, that but now the weather was becoming cooler,
God can turn baseness into beauty; out and so Mr. Stephenson thought it would be
of things that are very common he can make well to shut it. He little knew at the time
things that are very precious; out of things what he was doing. Two or three days after-
that are very homely he can make things that ward, however, he chanced to observe a bird
are very beautiful, flying against that same window and beating
How common the sand is that we tread against it with all its might again and again,
under our feet! Yetoutof that common stuff as if trying ti break it. His sympathy and
God made this clear crystal, curiosity were aroused. What could the little
The sparkling diamond that is worn by thing want? He went at once to the room and
queens and coveted by kings, is pure carbon, opened the window to see. The window
just the same kind of stuff as the black coal opened, the bird flew straight to one particu-
that we burn. Diamonds can be made out lar spot in the room, where Stephenson saw
of coal. Black baseness is thus changed to anest-that little bird's nest. The poor bird
bright beauty. looked at it, took the sad story in at a glance,
What is more common, or base than clay? and fluttered down to the floor, broken-
Mixed with water and burned, it makes the hearted, almost dead.
common brick. Mixed with water in the Stephenson, drawing near to look, was filled
road or path, it is mud, which we spurn and with unspeakable sorrow. There sat the
avoid. Yet the base clay has in it the mate- mother bird, and under it four tiny little
rial out of which God makes the beautiful ones-mother and young-all apparently
blue sapphire, a gem that rivals the diamond. dead. Stephenson cried aloud. He tenderly
Go into that beautiful cave at Manitou, lifted the exhausted bird from the floor, the
:and you will find the walls of some rooms all worm it had so long and so bravely struggled to
covered with a coral-like formation of velvety bring to its home and young, still in its beak,
aragonite that is wondrously beautiful. The and carefully tried to revive it, but all his
guide points to the muddy floor of the cave efforts proved in vain. It speedily died, and
and tells you that out of that dirt came the the great man mourned for many a day. At
material that thus blossomed into beauty on that time the force of George Stephenson's
the walls of that dark cave. mind was changing the face of the earth, yet
We all love the beautiful flowers. We like he wept at the sight of this dead family, and
-to look at them and inhale their sweet odors. was deeply grieved because he himself had
Did you ever think where they came from? unconsciously been the cause of death.

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 35

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4, SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

.TIME FOR REST. prayers. I was overlooked, of course, in the
O H weary hands! that all the day, general rejoicing, though I had grown quite
Were set to labor hard and long, a big girl. But by and by Uncle Tom said,
Now softly falls the shadows gray, "And where's my little niece?" I didn't
The bells are rung for even song. need any other invitation, so I sprang on his.
An hour ago the golden sun
Sank slowly down into the west; knee, and then he told me he had never
Poor, weary hands, your toil is done; parted with the little piece of pink ribbon I
'Tis time for rest! 'tis time for rest! gave him the morning he went away; and
O weary feet! that many a mile sure enough there was my poor little pink
Have trudged along a stony way, bow that Uncle had carried as a love token
At last ye reach the trysting stile; through the war. A few days after his re-
No longer fear to go astray. turn there was a reception in honor of Uncle
The gentle bending, rustling trees Tom, and I was appointed to'speak
Rock the oun birds within the nest, To, and I was appointed to "speak a
And softly sings the quiet breeze: piece,"so I pinned the faded pink bow in
"'Tis time for rest! 'tis time for rest!" my hair and recited the following stanzas by
0 weary eyes! from which the tears Col. John Hay:
Fell many a time like thunder rain- There's a happy time coming,
O weary 1 art! that through the years When the boys come home,
Beat with such bitter, restless pain, There's a glorious day coming,
To-night forget the stormy strife, When the boys come home.
And know what heaven shall send is best; We will end the dreadful story
Lay down the tangled web of life; Of this treason dark and gory
'Tis time for rest! 'tis time for rest! In a sunburst of glory,
When the boys come home.
UNCLE TOM BACK FROM THE WAR. The day will seem brighter
When the boys come home,
I WAS quite a little girl when Uncle Tom For our hearts will be lighter
went to the war, -but I can well remem- When the boys come home.
ber the sadness of his departure. Grandpa Wives and sweethearts will press them
In their arms and caress them
said he wished he was ten years younger that And pray God to bless them,
he might go too, but Grandma was heart- When the boys come home.
broken. She said she was sure she should
never see him alive again. Ma was Uncle The thinned ranks will be proudest
never ee hm av aain -iWhen the boys come-home,
Tom's favorite sister and he seemed to feel And their cheer will ring the loudest
parting from her as much as from any one. When the boys come home.
I remember that I had a little piece of pink The full ranks will be shattered,
ribbon on my dress the morning Uncle left And the bright arms will be battered,
Sh And the battle standards tattered,
us, and having i.,1- else to give him I When the boys come home.
gave him that. He took me in his arms and
kissed me and said, Good-by, little niece, Thei:- 1,c,. .. may be rusty,
I'll bring this ribbon and a medal back to An t'ir u nif come home,
And their uniforms dusty,
you as soon as the war is over." Those were When the boys come home.
sad, dreary years. The letters that came But all shall see the traces
from the camp were eagerly devoured, and Of battle's royal graces
once there came a letter in a strange hand, In the brown and bearded faces,
and Grandma fainted for she was sure Uncle When the boys come home.
Tom had been killed, but he had only been Our love shall go to meet them,
wounded and was then in a hospital, and the When the boys come home,
doctorsaid h was doing well. At last the To bless them and to greet them,
doctor said he was doing well. At last the When the boys come home;
war ended and-Uncle 'Tom came home. I And the fame of their endeavor
think Grandpa believed Uncle Tom was as Time and change shall not dissever
great a warrior as ever lived. He was so From the Nation's heart forever,
proud of him. I shall never forget the day When the boys come home.
of his return. Grandma wept and laughed, Years have passed since then and 1 am tco
and laughed and wept, and patted Uncle be married the day ,!tr ('li!:t i.- i,. ,lai. 1
Tom's wounded shoulder and kissed his Uncle Tom says he won't ...., I:- t: he v,,-
brown cheeks a hundred times, thanking ding unless I'll promise t.. ':;i my ittil-
God all the time, who had heard her many faded pink bow amongst tlh- ,:.! Ir 1. .:I,

WE KNOW ENOUGH TO HOPE. Opens its cold diamond eyes
With a startled, quick surprise,
SIR H. DAVY. And the night-moth through the gloom
rT HE caterpillar, on being converted into Flutters swiftly as to doom.
San inert scaly mass does not appear to While ye may, Oh! brilliant rover
be fitting itself for an inhabitant of the air, Dance, your joys must soon be over;
d c h n c o t b For your tiny torches shine
and can have no consciousness of the bril- On the Summer in her prime;
liainy of its future being. We are masters All these rich deep-tinted flowers
of the earth, but perhaps we are the slaves of Bloom but in her latest hours.
some great and unknown being. The fly Soon the stubble fields shall lie
that we crush with our finger or feed with 'Neath a paler, colder sky,
And the hoar-frost glitter chill
our viands has no knowledge of man, and no Over uplands shorn and still.
consciousness of his superiority. We suppose O'er my soul a chasten'd sadness
that we are acquainted with matter and all (As I watch your fleeting gladness
its elements; yet we cannot even guess at the In the midnight damp and late)
cause of electricity, or explain the laws of Casts a shadow dark as fate,
the formation of the stones that fall from And the whisp'ring zephyrs say:
meteors. There may be beings, thinking All bright things soon pass away!
meteors. There ay be beings,hiEven so, the lives of men-
beings, near or surrounding us, which we do Gleaming for a time, and then
not perceive, which we cannot imagine. We Death shall triumph o'er each will-
know very little; but, in my opinion, we Every i,....1;. heart be still.
know enough to hope for the immortality,
the individual immortality, of the better THE ARCHITECTS OF THE FUTURE.
part of man. JAMES A. GARFIELD.
rTH-E children of to-day will be the archi-
FIREFLIES. tects of our country's destiny in 1900,
EVA KATHARINE CLAPP.
THERE the grasses tall and lush THE SONG OF THE SEA WIND.
VV Lightly spring, AUsTIN DOBsoN.
Where the marsh-bird and the thrush TOW it sings, sings, sings,
Build and sing, J Blowing sharply from the sea-line,
Glimmers soft the fitful blaze With an edge of salt that stings;
Of the fireflies' trembling rays, How it laughs aloud, and passes,
On the purple robe of Night As it cuts the close cliff-grasses;
Gleaming bright, How it sings again and whistles,
Each, a living gem How it shakes the stout sea-thistles--
Broidering its dusky hem. How it sings!
O'er the lilies by the pool
Growing stately, fair and cool, How it shrieks, shrieks, shrieks,
Each, a fairy fragrant hall In the crannies of the headland,
Fitting for the fireflies' ball- In the gashes of the creeks;
Each white chalice, How it shrieks once more, and catches,
Is a palace Up the yellow foam in patches;
Where they hold high carnival. How it whirls it out and over
To the cornfield and and the clover--
O'er the.quivering reeds and rank How it shrieks!
Sheltering many a mossy bank, How it roars, roars, roars,
Where with folded wings they lie In the iron under-caverns,
When the day-star rules the sky; In the hollows of the shores;
Only when the shadows fall How it roars anew, and thunders,
Do they waken, at the call As the strong hull splits and sunders;
Of the emerald coated frog And the spent ship, tempest driven,
Croaking from his island bog. On the reef lies rent and riven-
D o,.. i ... H -,.ing, never still, How it roars!
W iii t ,, ,i i.- restless will,
Holding maddest revelry How it wails, wails, wails,
To the wailing minstrelsy In the tangle of the wreckage,
Of the shprt-lived insect brood In the rli, .in of the sails;
N ijt. ,ll' iag field and wood; How it sobs away, subsiding,
i,. i ,I '.: 1. .. :h tangled maze Like a tired child after chiding;
*.i I. In ,r ib. -' lonesome ways, And across the ground swell rolling,
Till the drowsy water-snake You can hear the bell-buoy tolling-
Coiled beneath the spreading brake How it wails!

WE FLING AWAY OUR GOLD. winter and summer by about five or six in
LYDIA A. VERY. the morning. The fisher-folk do not waste
many candles by keeping late hours.
Ease, comfort, pleasures never beg in vain. Every boat in the village went awaynorth
From i .. i1. lmeless ones our mite withhold; one .-,, 1 and not a man remained in the
Wh( 1 ..I ,i. sown might whiten all the plain! Row excepting three very old fellows, who
We fling away our gold. were long past work of any kind. When a
Ss a o fisherman grows helpless with age he is kept
Half clothed and senseless soft they speed away; by his own people, and his days are passed in
When like the georgeous i ,i..i inwrought, quietly smoking on the kitchen settle, or in
They might add lustre -. .. L passing day. looking dimly out over the sea from the bench
We send away our thoughts, at the door. But a man must be sorely
We throw away our time. "failed" before he is reduced to idleness,
That golden gift we never know to prize and able to do nothing that needs 1.. 1 1,
'Till life's high goal unreached, too weak to climb, A southerly gale, with a southerly sea, came
The last few moments pass our closing eyes. up in the night, and the boats could not
We throw away our time. beat down from the northward. By daylight
We cast away our love- they were all safe in the harbor about eigh-
We plant its flowers upon life's shifting sands- teen miles north of the village. The sea
We bend the tender, blighted blooms above, grew worse and worse, till the usual clouds
Watered by tears within our feeble hands- of foam flew against the houses or skimmed
We cast away our love. away into the fields beyond. When the wind
reached its height, the sounds it made in the
DOROTHY KINGSTONE, THE FISHER- hollows were like distant firing of small-arms,
MAN'S DAUGHTER. and the waves in the hollow rocks seemed to
shake the ground over the cliffs.
D OROTHY KINGSTONE lived a very A little schooner came round the point,
uneventful life, one week was much 1, ii;!,_ before the sea. She might have got
the same as another in the peaceful career clear away, because it was easy enough for
of the village. On Sunday mornings, when her, had she clawed a short way out, risking
the church bells began to ring you would the beam sea, to have made the harbor where
meet her walking over the moor to church. the fishers were. But the skipper kept her
Her feet were bare, but she carried her shoes close in, and presently she struck on a long
and stockings slung over her shoulder, tongue of rocks that trended far out east-
When she got near the church she sat down ward. The tops of her masts seemed nearly
in the shade of a hedge and put them on; to meet, so it appeared as if she had broken
then she walked the rest of the distance with her back. The seas flew sheer over her, and
a cramped and civilized gait. the men had to climb into the rigging. All
On M...]. I, mornings she carried the water the women were watching and waiting to see
from the well. Her great "skeel" was poised her go to pieces. There was no chance of
easily on her head; and, as she strode along getting a boat out, so the helpless villagers
singing lightly il i ..t shaking a drop of waited to see the men drown; and the women
water over the edge of her pail, you could cried in their shrill, piteous manner. Doro-
see how she had come by her erect car- thy said, "Will she break up in an hour? If
riage. I thowt she could hing there, I would be
When the boats came in she went down to away for the lifeboat." But the old men
the beach, and helped to carry the baskets of said, "You can never cross the burn."
fish to the cart. She was then dressed in a Four miles south, behind the point, there
sort of thick flannel blouse; her head was was a village where a lifeboat was kept; but
bare, and she looked far better than in her -.lr.i ,,- a stream ran into the sea, and across
Sunday clothes. If the morning were fine, this stream there was only a plank bridge.
she sat out in the sun and baited the lines, all -I Il ., mile below the bridge the water spread
the while lilting old country songs in her far over the broad sand and became very
native dialect. In the evening she would shallow and wide. Dorothy spoke no more,
spend some time chatting with other lasses in except to say, "I'll away."
the Row; but she never had a very long spell She ran across the moor for a mile, and
of that pastime, for she had to be at work then scrambled down to the sand so that the

tearing wind might not impede her. It was What is a gentleman ? Is it not one
dangerous work for the next mile. Every Honestly eating the bread he has won,
arof theway she had to splash trough Livin uprihtness, fearing his God,
yard of the way she had to splash through Leaving no stain on the path he has trod,
the foam, because the great waves were roll- Caring not whether his coat maybe old,
ing up very nearly to the foot of the cliffs. Prizing sincerity far above gold,
An extra -.. -. sea might have driven her Reckoning not whether his hand may be hard,
off her feet, but she did not think of that; Stretching it boldly to grasp its reward ?
she only thought of saving her breath by What is a gentleman ? Say, is it birth
escaping the direct onslaught of the wind. Makes a man noble, or adds to his worth ?
When she came to the mouth of the burn her Is there a family tree to be had
heart failed her- for a little. There was three- Spreading enough to conceal Go ot is bade,
Seek out the man who has God for his guide,
quarters of a mile of water covered with Nothing to blush for and nothing to hide;
creamy foam, and she did not know but what Be he a noble or be he in trade.
she might be taken out of her depth. Yet This is the gentleman nature has made.
she determined to risk, and plunged in at a
run. The sand was hard under foot, but, as ROSES UNDER THE WINDOW.
she said, when the piled foam came softly up n. w. EMERSON.
to her waist she "felt gey funny." Half- r HESE roses under my window make no
way across she stumbled into a hole caused reference to former roses or to better ones;
by a swirling eddy, and she thought all was they are for what they are ; they exist with
over; but her nerve never failed her, and she God today. There is no time to them. There
struggled till she got a footing again. When; it is perfect in every o-
is simply the rose; it is perfect in every mo-
she reached the hard ground she was wet to meant of its existence. Before a ,li- .1,.l has
the neck, and her hair was dripping with her burst, its whole life acts; in the full-blown
one pl, ._: overhead. Hier clothes troubled flower there is no more; in the leafless root
her with their weight in crossing the moor; there is no less.
so she put off all she did not need and pressed
forward again. Presently she reached the LINING THE NEST.
house where the coxswain of the lifeboat
lived. She gasped out, "The schooner! On COME, I've a story, children dear,
U It may be good to tell;
the Letch! Norrad." But you must listen carefully,
The coxswain, who had seen the schooner And think upon it well;-
go past, knew what was the matter. He said, A story good for playmates all,
"IHere, wife, look after the lass," and ran For sister and for brother,
after, for she 1Who think it hard for any one
out. The lass needed looking after, for she To give u for another.
had fainted. But her work was well done;
the lifeboat went round the point, ran north, There is a bird of foreign lands
and took six men ashore from the schooner. Of which strange tales are told,
And one strange tale, it seems to me,
The captain had been washed overboard, but I well might write in gold:-
the others were saved by Dorothy's daring That, all for softness, all for warmth,
and endurance. To line her quiet nest,
She plucks the down, the soft, warm down,
WHAT IS A GENTLEMAN ? From her unselfish breast.
-TTIHAT is a gentleman ? Is it a thing Now, as the nest to that wild bird
V Decked with a scarfpin, a chain, and a ring, So is your home to you.
Dressed in a suit of immaculate style, Let the wild bird's unselfish life
Sporting an eyeglass, a lisp, and a smile ? Be like your home-life too:
Talking of operas, concerts, and balls, Though it may sometimes cost you pain,
Evening assemblies and afternoon calls, Give up without a frown
Sunning himself at At Homes" and bazaars, Your own for others, and you'll be
Whirling mazurkas and smoking cigars ? Like the good pelican, you see-
You'll line the nest with down.

What is a gentleman ? Say, is it one
Boasting of conquests and deeds he has done ?
One who unblushingly glories to speak THE TREASURE OF THE POOR.
Things which should call up a flush to his cheek ? ROBERT HALL.
One who, whilst railing at actions unjust,
Robs some young heart of its pureness and trust; T HE Scriptures are the treasure of the
Scorns to steal money, or jewels, or wealth, poor, the solace of the sick, and the
Thinks it no crime to take honor by stealth ? support of the dying.

THE BABY'S PRAYER. peak in the Gothic roof, and stood up very
ALICE MA. EDDY. straight and stiff not far from the Weather-
cock.
HE knelt with her small hands folded; "Why, no," said the Lightning-rod. "'I
I-Ier fair little head bowed low,
While dead vines tapped at the window have never thought of being tired."
And the air was thick with snow. "I am tired to death of it," said the Weath-
.Without, earth dumb with winter; er-cock; "and I should think you would be.
Within, hearts dumb with care; ts bad enough for me; but you haven't
And up through the leaden silence b b b
Rose softly the baby's prayer. moved an inch since I have known you. It
fairly makes my back ache to see you stand so
"Bless all whom I love, dear Father, straight all the time. Don't you want a little
And help me be good," she said, V:ri ,
Then, stirred by a sudden fancy, "Oh, don't trouble yourself about me,"
She lifted the shining head said the Lightning-rod, goodnaturedly. "To
Some hint of the April green, be sure, I am not quite so well off as you are,
Or the breath of the woodland blossoms for I can't look about on every side of me as
The drifts of the snow between? you can. S t 1. it's a fine place up here, and
as long as we are doing exactly what we are
"The beautiful trees," she whispered, put here for, of course we ought not to com-
"Where the orioles used to sing; ;
They are tired of the cold, white winter, plain.
Oh, help them to grow in the spring; "I'm :,.i! -.1,;,hi.. though," said the
And the flowers that I loved to gather, Weather-cock, petulantly. "I want to have
Lord, bring them again in May; my own way sometimes, and not always be
The dear little violets, sleeping hise about by that saucy Wind. e
Deep down in the ground today." whisked about by that saucy Wind He
turns me this way and that way just as he
Ah, earth may chill with snowflakes, pleases, and I'm not going to put up with it
And hearts may be cold with care, any longer."
But wastes of a frozen silence "What will you do?"
Are crossed by the baby's prayer; "I'll stop turning; I shall look in whatever
And lips were dumb with sorrow
In jubilant hope may sing; direction I like. I don't know what the con-
For when earth is wrapped in winter, sequences may be" (he looked, if possible,
In the heart of the Lord 'tis spring, haughtier than ever); "for you must have
observed that the weather depends entirely
upon me and my movements. When the
THE SELF-WILLED WEATHER-COCK, men come about their work in the morning,
BY SYDNEY DAYRE. they look upto see what I promise them for
the day, and never undertake anything im-
IGH up on the very top of an iron portant unless I look encouraging."
H rod, which went up from the very "Are you not afraid," said the Lightning-
top of the highest point of the gable of a rod, looking at the Weathercock with great
great stable, stood a Weathercock. He was respect, "that something dreadful might
a handsome fellow, finely painted up, and happen if you stop?"
with a very lordly curve to his tail; and his Oh, I .,...-..,.-so," -.il the Weathercock;
head was thrown back with such a haughty, "but I am tired of being made a convenience
high-spirited look that you would imagine he of. The weather must try running itself
was just going to flap his wings and crow. for a while without me."
But he never did. He never did anything The Lightning-rod thought it serious, and
but look the wind right in the face. When- would have shaken its head if that had been
ever it changed he swung around so as possible.
always to be looking toward it, so that people Very early the next morning the Wind,
could look up and see which way it blew. having been for three days '.1...win cold
But there came a time when the Weather- from the east, bringing with him a most un-
cock grew tired of moving just as the wind pleasant amount of clouds, rain and mist,
moved. -took a sudden jerk around to the southwest,
"Don't you get tired of always staying in and, after a vigorous tussle with the clouds,
the same 1.1 i., he asked of the Lightning- managed to send away all but a few which
rod. The Lightning-rod came up over a lingered in the far east. Then Master Wind

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 45

came puffing around the Weathercock, ex- and wondered where he would go to, but
pecting him to face about at his first breath, never knew.
But the Weathercock gazed steadily toward "Dear me!" said the Lightning-rod with
sunrise, a sorrowful sigh. "I told him no good
"Why don't you turn round?" asked the would come of his trying to have his own
Wind. "Don't you see I've changed?" way."
Yes, I see," said the Weathercock; "but It's the old Weathercock," said the men,
Haven't changed, and I'm not going to just picking him up. "Used to be you could tell
yet." by him to a hair's breadth exactly how the
"Whew!" The Wind was a little sur- Wind stood, for he was always sure to be look-
1; .1. but not quite so much concerned as ing straight the right way. But he's been no,
6i1. Weathercock had expected he would be. use of late.
He gave a few playful flirts about him, trying And he was flung aside and forgotten.
to make him turn, and then, with a- laugh,
skipped into the garden to whisper to the
poor little bedraggled flowers that the storm TIMIDITY-A HINDOO FABLE.
was over, and the sun would soon be along JOEL BENTON.
to cheer them up t A SILLY mouse, thinking each thing a cat,
Wind still in the rainy quarter,' said Fell into helpless worriment threat;
the men, looking np at the Weathercock.
"No good to go to work yet." But, noticed by a wizard living near,
"The sun will probably not rise, now that Was turned into a cat to end its fear.
I have put down that impudent Wind," said No sooner was the transformation done,
the Weathercock to himself, still gazing into Than dreadful terror of a dog begun.
the east. But to his great surprise, the sun
slowly rose over the mountain, with such a Now, when the wizard saw this latest throe,
beaming smile that the clouds which the "Here, be a dog," said he, "and end your woe."
Wind could not move hurried away in alarm But, though a dog, its soul had no release,
and hid themselves. For fear some tiger might disturb its peace.
"The Weathercock must be a bit rusty,"
said one of the men as they gathered again, Into atigr ext the beast was omade;
and went to work very late. And still twas pitiful and sore afraid,
and went to work very late.
"No wonder, after such a rain," said an- Because the huntsmen might, some ill-starred day,
other. Happen along and take its life away.
The Weathercock continued to turn ac-
cording to his own fancy, delighting in show- Then," said the wizard, turning to his house,
c"You have a mouse's heart--now be a mouse."
ing that he could do as he pleased, no matter
which way the Wind blew. But he grew 'Tis so with men: no earthly help or dower
angrier and angrier at observing that his Can add one atom to their early power;
independence seemed to trouble no one. The Tm fm tr s,
sun shone and the Wind played, the bids Them from their smallness ,..,h.li- can arouse-
sun shone and the Wind played, the birds o art can make a lion from a mouse.
sang and the flowers bloomed, and every
sweet and beautiful thing belonging to sum-
mer il1i. .-)i as before. Worst of all, the THE RAINBOW.
people who used to look inquiringly up at E. ROE
him as long as he faithfully attended to the. ,
duty which he had been made to perform, no H-IE cloud scenery has all changed. The
longer paid any heed to him. L sun is setting in unclouded splendor.
One night, as autumn drew near, a blast Not the west but the east is now black with
came sweeping down from the north and storm; but the rainbow, emblem of hope and
flung itself rudely against the Weathercock. God's mercy, spans its blackness, and in the
"Turn the other way," it ordered, skies we again have suggested to us a life,
"I won't!" said the 'Weatherdock, stoutly. once clouded and darkly threatened by evil,
The more roughly it buffeted and bela- but now, through penitence and reform, end-
bored him the more he set himself against ing in peace and '. Lt:. God spanning the
it until at last there came a snap and a wrong of the past with his rich and varied
whang. The Lightning-rod saw him fall promises of forgiveness.

46 SPAl.KLE.-1 FOR BRIGHT EYES.

PANSIES. or Caddo l"..-ti,-,. The body is then taken
and placed in a saddle upon a pony, in a sit-
MRS. HARRY DON. f.- I"'t =ir. a squaw usually riding behind

rTHEY all are in the lily bed, cuddled close to- l ,l..iie l sometimes one, on either side of the
gether, horse) holds the body in position until the
Purples, Yellow cap, and little Baby Blue; place of burial is reached, when the corpse is
Iow they ever got there you must ask the June literally tumbled into the excavation selected
The morning and the evening winds, the sunshine for the purpose. The deceased is only accom-
and the dew. panied by two or three squaws, or enough to
perform the little labor bestowed upon the
Why- 11.- should go visiting the tall and haughty burial. The body is taken due west of the
11, lodge or village of the bereaved, and usually
Is very odd, and none of them will condescend to one of the deep she er eaved, and f
say: one of the deep washes or heads of .
'They might have made a call upon the jolly daffo- in which the Comanche country .-,i,., .., is
dillies- selected,- and the body thrown in, without
They might have come to my house any pleasant special reference to position. With this are
day. deposited the bows and arrroo: these, how-
ever; are first broken. T:. !. Acdle is also
They do not have a good time. I think their little placed in the grave, together with many of
faces
Look so very solemn underneath each velvet hood. the personal valuables of the departed. The
I wonder don't -1. feel, among the garden's airs and body is then covered over with sticks and
graces, earth, and sometimes stones are placed over
That shy Cousin Violet is happier in the wood ? the whole. The best pony owned by the
deceased is brought to the grave and killed,
Ah my pretty Pansies, its no use for you to go a- that the departed may appear well mounted
seeking, and caparisoned among his fellows in the
There isn't any good time waiting anywhere; and caparisoned among his f
I fancy even Violet is !....I.. ,- i:;..:- other world. F..:! 1,. 1 ., if the deceased were
When somebody plucks her, finding I. i .. i a chief or man ,: i .,..:' quence and had L,..:-
herds of ponies, many were killed, sometimes
There's nothing left for you, my pets, but just to do amounting to ',', or 300 head in number.
your duty; An amusing is told in illustration of
Bloom, and make the world bright, that's the best the importance attached to the pony provided
for you.
'There isn't much that's lovlier than your bashful for the deceased in the happy 1m ,f i, -
beauty, grounds. An old chief died who was very poor
My Purples, my Yellow Cap, my little Baby Blue I -and had no :1 i I .- or relations.' The people
thought that any kind of a pony would do
for him, so an old, dilapidated, lop-eared
DEATH CUSTOMS OF THE INDIANS. scraggy pony. was killed at his grave: How-
ever, to their great astonishment, he returned
T E Otoe and Missouri Indians always pre- a few weeks later on the same old mumy
servethebodyfrom,'i.- ,-i t,. ih,-.*, the i,,,,. nd be was worn out i hunger and
.earth: the Comanches of i ''! ... r ... iy go i ... When the men of his tribe saw his
to the opposite extreme. When a Comanche hollow cheeks and sunke:, ,-. !,..- I-. I from
is d. ..i. while the death-i rll, may yet be him in consternation. ie '.. f)r food,
faintly heard in the throat, and the natural and one bolder than the ren i ..i,-,.1i. him a
warmth has not yet departed from the 1...,1,', piece of-meat on the end of a lodge pole.
the knees are strongly bent upon the chest, 'li, ,1 he i',. ...1 his own ..n. the Co-
and the legs l.- ..-: upon the thighs. The manches :I,. !, i.. fled i iI I.i..- to a
arms are also 1-1. ::.. upon each side of the place on Rush Creek. \\ I. the troubled
chest, and the head bent forward upon the spirit, from the .in 1..-.ilnl1 ,1..... was ques-
knees. A lariat or rope, is now used to tioned why he -:il :11., .1 I i, the in-
firmly bind the limbs and body in this posi- habitants of oa. I. I ... .1i,. Ili I ihat when
tion. A blanket is then wrapped around the he came to the 11I of Paradise the keepers
body, and this again tightly corded, so would on no account permit him to enter
that the appearance when ready for burial is upon such an I, I.1. I ii ..I... I beast as that
that of an almost round and compact 1.... which I..... him, and thus in sadness he re-
'very unlike the confused pall of his 1XVI.. turned to haunt the homes of those whose

SPAL';XLJL FOR BRIGHT EYES.
47

d i-
._ _; __* --,. -.- ... _

i : -. /--. : i -

-Ay
POINTING --:- .-

.... S .... : --- I --- -: = z ,-- ---* -, *_'_

iiii
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,.

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,~ ~ ~~ ~~~~~I ", ,,' !',: ... '' "" ''''"

48 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

stinginess and greed permitted him no better A LITTLE PHILOSOPHER.
equipment. Since then no Comanche has
been permitted to depart with the sun to his RGAE S S
chambers without a steed which in appearance riHE days are short and the nights are long,
should do honor alike to the rider and his T And the wind is nipping cold;
friends. The body is buried on the western The tasks are hard and the sums are wrong,
And the teachers often scold.
side of the camp, that the spirit may ac- But Johnny McCree,
complish the journey to the setting sun be- Oh, what cares he,
yond. It is supposed among the Comanches As he whistles along the way ?
that the spirit starts on its journey the fol- It will all come right
lowing night. Among the mourning observ- Sdys Johnn o ree to-day.
ances of the Comanches are many strange
customs differing from those of other tribes. The plums are few and the cake is plain,
Instead of the property of the deceased being The shoes are out at the toe;
For money you look in the purse in vain-
disposed of among the relations, it is all de- It was all spent long ago.
stroyed or buried in the ground. It is be- But Johnny McCree,
lived that when the goods are burnt they Oh, what cares he,
ascend to heaven in the smoke, and will thus As he whistles along the street ?
be of service to the owner in the other world. Would you have the blues
be of service to the owner in the eor a pair of shoes
Immediately after death the relatives begin While you have a pair of feet ?
a peculiar wailing, and the immediate rela-
tives of the family take off their customary tthe o i eethe e are paths to break
nut the little arm is strong',
apparel and clothe themselves in rags, and And work is play if you'll only take
cut themselves across the arms, breast, and Your work with a bit of song.
other portions of the body, until sometimes And Johnny McCree,
a fond wife or mother faints from loss of Oh, what cares he,
As he whistles along the road ?
blood. This is also customary among the Ashe will do hn best,
Dacotah Indians. A missionary at Fort And will leave the rest
Selling related the story of a woman who To the care of his Father, God.
had lost a brother. With her friends she set The mother's face it is often sad,
up a most piteous .: r, i or rather wailing, She scarce knows what to do;
which continued during all the night. She But at Johnny's kiss she is bright and glad-
would keep on repeating the words which in She loves him, and wouldn't you ?
English would mean, Come, my brother, I For Johnny McCree,
gish n Oh, what cares he,
shall see you no more forever." Next morn- As he whistles along the way ?
ing preparations were made for the ceremony The trouble will go,
of cutting their flesh. The thermometer was And I told you so,"
at ten to twenty below zero, and the snow Our brave little John will say.
lay thick on the ground. However, a space
was cleared, in the center of which a very GOD'S AUTOGRAPH.
small fire was kindled, not so much for
warmth as to cause a smoke which would JOSEPH PARKER
ascend to the land of the setting sun. The VERYWHERE I find the signature,
sister and three other women came out of the autograph of God, and He will
her lodge barefooted, and nearly naked, and never deny his own handwriting. God hath
all three began wailing and crying. They set his tabernacle in the dewdrop as surely
cut their knees and ankles with sharp stones, as in the sun. No man can any more create
and one poor woman made more than a hun- the smallest flower than he could create the
dred gashes in her flesh. She was thoroughly greatest world.
exhausted with pain, loss of blood, cold, and g
long-continued fasting, and soon she sank on
the frozen ground, shivering from the cold LOVE AND DUTY.
and moaning with pain. She appeared fran- Mnss MULOCK.
tic with grief; but it is not easy to imagine
what benefit she expected for herself or her )UTY'S a slave that keeps the keys,
dead brother in return for this self-inflicted Of his... .11, chambers, with song and shout,
torture. Just as he please-just as he please,

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.. 49

% 'j

DOLL), iA M D1.

A we were e winds blew blea ''

And chilled the roses on Dolly's cheek, \''.
Like the waning tide of a waveless sea, '
Her life ebbed ...ii, -l me! ah me!'
1a. Lip

14L

Y mut c ... -

And thse mound that covers the restful dead,
For my love is sleeping the quiet sleep-
That the Shepherd gives to his wearied sheep-
And the world is not wha t it used to be, -
Ere its sunlight faded for her and me.
T,. s- ,. ,". ., .
nike the woling tide ot waveless sea,

Ere' If you wnlt to kno o why I oft times si. ,"

._". . ... < ... 2. :

50 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

DON'T USE BIG WORDS. joyously, as to a festival. Its grave-clothes
wear no funeral look. It robes itself in
-N promulgating your cogitations, or artic- wear no funeral look. i t res itself in
u l i,.t-" your superficial sentimentalities splendor. Solomon in all his glory was not
and amicable, philosophical or psychological arrayed like one of these. First there is a
observations, beware of platitudinous ponder- flash of crimson in the low lands, then a
osity. Let your conversational communica- glimmer of yellow on the hill-side, then,
tions possess a conciseness, a compacted com- rushig on, exultant, reckless, rioting in
prehensibleness, coalescent consistency, and color, grove vies with grove, till the woods
a concatenated cogency. Eschew all con- are all aflame. Here the sunlight streams
glomerations of babblement and asinine affc- through the pale gold tresses of the- maple,
glomerations of babblement and asinine affec- serene and spiritual, like the aureole of a
stations. Let your extemporaneous descantings srene and spiritual, like the aureole of a
and unpremeditated expatiations have intel- saint; there it lingers in bold dalliance with
eligibility and veracious vivacity, without rho- heartsky orange of the tropics beats in the bloo-red
domontade or bombast. Sedulously avoid all heart o the tr cs beats n the bood-e
polysyllabic profundity, pdmpous prolixity, branches that surge against deep solemn
ventriloquial verbosity and vaniloquent walls of cypress and juniper. Yonder, a
v apidity. Shun doubleentey andres, prurioqent sober but sombre russet, tones down the
vapidity. Shun double-entendres, prurient Il t vermillion. The intense glow of
jocosity and pestiferous profanity, obscurant srlet struggles or su m wh
or apparent. scarlet struggles for supremacy with the
In other words, talk plainly, briefly, natur- quiet sedateness of brown, and the number-
ally, sensibly, truthfully, purely. Keep from less tints of year-long green come in every-
"slang;" don't put on airs; say what you where to enliven, and soothe, and subdue,
mean; mean what you say. And don't use andharmonize. o theleaffades,-brilant
big words i gorgeous, gay, rejoicing,-as a bride adorned
Sfor her husband, as a king goes to his coro-
THE CROAKING FROG. nation.
But the frosts come whiter and whiter.
T ITTLE iF'. --: Croaker lives in a brook, The nights grow longer and longer. Ice
Where the reeds and grasses make a shady nook; glitters in the morning light, and the clouds
Coat of green and yellow wears he on his back, shiver with snow. The forests lose their
White and I,,.l,. :., shirt front, trousers glossy black, fls e e e to se The little
In the early springtime, Froggy's song you hear; flush. The hectic dies into sere. The little
Telling all about him, "May is very near." leaf can no longer breathe the strength-giv-
ing air, nor feel juicy life stirring in its
veins. Fainter and fainter grows its hold
THE FADING LEAF. upon the protecting tree. A strong wind
GAIL HAMILTON. comes and loosens its last clasp, and bears it
tenderly to earth. A whirl, an eddy, a rustle,
"W- E all do fade as a leaf." How does a and all is over,-no, not all, its work is not
S leaf fade? I go out upon the Octo- yet done. It sinks upon the protecting earth,
ber hills and question the genii of the woods, and, Antaus-like, gathers strength from the
"IHow does a leaf fade ?" Grandly, mag- touch, and begins a new life. It joins hands
nificently, imperially, so that the glory of with my:iads of its mates, and takes up
its coming is eclipsed by the glory of its de- ,t;c its work of benevolence. No longer
parting ;-thus the forests make answer sensitive itself to frosts and snows, it wraps
to-day. The tender bud of April opens its in its wa.:n bosom the frail little anemones,
bosom to the wooing sun. From the soft and the delicate spring beauties that can
airs of May and the clear sky of June it scarcely bide the rigors of our pitiless win-
gathers greenness and strength. Through ters, and, nestling close in that fond embrace,
all the summer its manifold lips are opened they sleep securely till the spring sun wakens
to every passing breeze, and great draughts them to the smile of blue skies, and the song
of health course through its delicate veins, of dancing brooks. Deeper into the earth
and meander down to the sturdy bark, the go the happy leaves, mingling with the moist
busy sap, the tiny flower, and the maturing soil, drinking the gentle dews, cradling a
fruit, bearing life to the present, and treas- thousand tender lives in theirs, and spring-
uring up promise for the future. ing again in new forms,-an eternal cycle of
Then its work is done, and it goes to its life and death "forever spent, renewed for-
burial,-not mournfully, not reluctantly, but ever."

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 51

i' L '
-. .* i .....
i: '

,Vp-,", f i, ,
'r- -....-js

., ,-'-Y''--_ t ...

.- .- -. : ,h : " :

.-, __..\ ,
I *~~

-, . : '. .
iqp9~

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TV

JUNE ROSES.
, % -.,

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.'1Y 'J- "-Z ..' .
:'.'' .' ', ,, 2
"' ,, ,:'J "'

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i~*l~i~j~:JUNE ROSES.::

52 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

LET MY LATEST THOUGHT BE THINE. enable the work of excavation to be carried
O N the dark hill's western side, to completion. The interest of such news
SThe last purple gleam has died; for E i. .1... .. may be conceived, when it
Twilight to one solemn hue is remembered that the last time the Sphinx
Changes all, both green and blue. was dug out of the sands was by King
In the fold, and in the nest, Thothmes IV., fifteen centuries before
Birds and lambs have gone to rest; Christ, or about 3,400 years ago. Scholars,
Labor's weary task is o'er, in fact, are of opinion that the Sphinx is the
Closely shut the cottage door. oldest monument in the world. It appears,
Saviour, ere in sweet repose in any case, to have been erected or chiseled
I my weary eyelids close, out of the rock more than forty-five centnur-
While my mother through the gloom ies before the Christian era, and therefore
Singeth from the outer room; about 6,400 years ago. The size of the
While across the curtain white, strange image is very remarkable. The body
With a dim uncertain light, is more than 180 feet long. The ears of the
On the floor the faint stars shine, human-shaped head are about six feet from
Let my latest thought be Thine. top to bottom, the other features being in
'Twas a starry night ot old, proportion. The learned explorers who are
When rejoicing angels told engaged in the work of excavation, hold it
The poor shepherds of Thy birth,
God became a child on earth, probable that when the statue is fully
brought to light, a number of other impor-
Soft and quiet is the bed tant discoveries will be made. In any case,
here adst ba t ttnge bare, this extraordinary relic of the oldest human
Rugged straw, for pillow fair. civilization cannot fail to form a more at-
tractive sight than ever to all visitors to the
Saviour, 'twas to win me grace land of the Nile.
Thou didst stoop to this poor place, ld te le
Loving with a perfect love,
Child and man and God above, CHRIST'S KINGDOM OF LOVE.
Thou wast meek andundefiled: NAPOLEON i.
Make me gentle, too, and mild;
Thou didst foil the tempter's power: A LEXANDER, Caesar, Charlemagne, and
Help me in temptation's hour. J I myself, have founded great empires:
Thou didst love Thy mother here, but upon what do these creations of our genius
Make me gentle, kind and dear; depend ? Upon force. Jesus, alone, founded
Thou didst mind her slightest word, His empire upon love, and to this very day
Teach me to obey, O Lord. millions would die for Him. I think I
Happy now I turn to sleep: understand something of human nature;
Thou wilt watch around me keep and I tell you, all these were men; and I
Him no danger ere can harm am a man : none else is like Him Jesus
Who lies cradled in Thy arm. Christ was more than man.

THE RIDDLE OF THE SPHINX. PLAYING HORSE.
T HE riddle of the Sphinx is at l.-irtl on -'\UT in the garden
the point of being solved. i'.1.. geat \J One sweet summer day,
man-headed, lion-bodied monument, which Two little folks had
has for ages been more than half buried by A fine time at play.
Tom was the driver
the accumulating sands of the desert, is now And Nellie, of course,
being rapidly brought to light, and ere long Went prancing about
one of the most extraordinary relics of Like the very best horse.
Egyptian civilization will be once more vis- Now Nell is a woman,
ible in its entirety. The work has been go- And Tom is a man,
ing on ever since January last, when-at And they know all the pleasure
the suggestion of M. Maspero, the chief di- That grown people can.
rector of the department of antiquities in But often they think
That no time is so gay
Egypt-the French public, in the course of As when Nellie played horse
a few hours, subscribed sufficient funds to On that sweet summer day,

EVERYDAY WORK. zephyr which sweeps its spray. He has shag,
G REAT deeds are trumpeted, loud bells are rung, ged the steep with its cedars, and besprent
And men turn round to see; the meadow with its king-cups and daisies.
The high peaks echo to the pecans sung He has made it a world of fragrance and
O'er some great victory, music--a world of brightness and symmetry,
nd yet great deeds are few. The mightiest men -a world where the grand and the graceful,
the awful and lovely, rejoice together. In
Shall one sit idle through long days of peace, fashioning the Home of Man, the Creator
Waiting for walls to scale had an eye to something more than conven-
Or lie in port until some Golden Fleece
Lures him to facl e the gale? ience, and built, not a barrack, but a palace,
There's work enough, why idly, then, delay? not a union-work-house, but an Alhambra;
His work counts most who labors every day. something which should not only be very
A torrent sweeps down the mountain's brow comfortable, but very splendid and very fair;
With foam and flash and roar, something which should inspire the soul of
Anon its strength is spent, where is it now? its inhabitant, and even draw forth the "very
Its one short day is o'er. good of complacent Deity.
But the clear stream that through the meadow flws God also made the Bible as the guide and
All summer long on its mission goes.
oracle of man ; but had he meant it as a mere
Better the steady flow; the torrent's dash lesson-book of duty, a volume less various
Soon leaves its rent track dry; and less attractive would have answered every
The light we love is not the lightning flash. But in giving that Bible, its divine
From out a midnight sky. end. But giving that Bible, its divme
But the sweet sunshine, whose unfailing ray Author had regard to the mind of man. He
From its calm throne of blue, lights every day. knew that man has more curiosity than piety,
The sweetest lives are those to duty wed, more taste than sanctity ; and that more per-
Wliose deeds, both great and small, sons are anxious to hear some new, or read
Are close-knit strands of an unbroken thread, some beauteous thing, than to read or hear
Where love ennobles all. about God and the great salvation. He knew
The world may sound no trumpets, ring no bells; that few would ever ask, What must I do to
The Book of Life the shining record tells. ta ew wo eve ask a ms d t
be saved ? till they came in contact with the
Bible itself ; and, therefore, he made the Bible
LITERARY BEAUTIES OF THE BIBLE. not only an instructive book, but an attract-
DR. JAMES HAMILTON. ive one,-not only true, but enticing. He
OD made the present earth as the Home filled it with marvelous incident and engaging
of Man; but had he meant it as a mere history; with sunny pictures from Old-World
lodging, a world less beautiful would have scenery, and :!iti- ri anecdotes from the
served the purpose. There was no need for patriarchal times. He replenished it with
the carpet of verdure, or the ceiling of blue; stately argument and thrilling verse, and
no need for the mountains, and cataracts, and sprinkled it over with sententious wisdom and
forests; noneed for the rainbow, no need for proverbial pungency. He made it a book of
the flowers. A big round island, half of it lofty thoughts and noble images,-a book of
arable, and half of it pasture, with a clump heavenly doctrine but withal of earthly adap-
of trees in one corner, and a magazine of fuel station. In preparing a guide to immortality,
in another, might have held and fed ten Infinite Wisdom gave, not a dictionary, nor
millions of people; and a hundred islands, a grammar, but a Bible-a book which, in
all made in the same pattern, big and round, trying to reach the heart of man, should cap-
might have held and fed the population of tivate his taste; and which, in transforming
the globe, his affections, should also expand his intellect.
But man is something more than the ani- The pearl is of great price; but even the
mal which wants lodging and food. He has casket is of exquisite beauty. The sword is
a spiritual nature, full of keen perceptions of ethereal temper, and nothing cuts so keen
and deep sympathies. He has an eye, for the as its double edge; but there are jewels on
sublime and the beautiful, and his kind Crea- the hilt, an exquisite inlaying on the scab-
tor has provided man's abode with affluent bard. The shekels are of the purest ore; but
materials for these nobler tastes. He has even the scrip which contains them is of a
built Mont Blanc, and molten the lake in texture more curious than any which the art-
which its image sleeps. He has intoned ists of earth can fashion. The apples are
Niagara's thunder, and has breathed the gold; but even the basket is silver.

SPARKLES FOR BRIGI-IT EYES. 55

The Bible contains no ornamental passages, His hands, though so feeble, can sweep o'er our hearts
nothing written for mere display; its stead- A "song without words" whose rhyme never de-
fast purpose is, Glory to God in the highest," W parts;
Whose melody surges and never abates
and the truest blessedness of man; it abounds 'Till it brakes into hymns at the great pearly gates.
in passages of the purest beauty and stateli-
est grandeur, all the grander and all the In the blue of his eyes is an ocean of love
more beautiful because they are casual an That reaches from us to our Father above;
more beautiful because they are casual and Whereon argosies sail, only freighted with joy
unsought. The fire which ( Ili,. from the And prayers for the welfare of our little boy.
iron hoof of the :Tf I,, ,' steed as he scours the
midnight path is grander than the artificial FRIENDS NOT LOST.
firework; for it is the casual effect of speed
and power. The clang of ocean as he booms RnBER HAL.
his billows on the rock, and the echoing caves T HOU hast lost thy friend-say, rather,
give chorus, is more soul-filling and sublime thou hast parted with him. That is
than all the music of the orchestra, for it is properly lost which is past all recovery, which
the music of that main so mighty that there we are out of hope to see any more. It is
is a grandeur in all it does-in its sleep a not so with this friend thou mournest for; he
. 1....1 and in its march a stately psalm. is but gone home a little before thee; thou
. I ,i the bow which paints the melting art following him; you two shall meet in
cloud there is a beauty which the stained glass your Father's house, and enjoy each other
or gorgeous drapery emulates in vain; for it more happily than you could have done here
is the glory which gilds beneficence, the below.
brightness which bespeaks a double boon,
the flush which cannot come but forth when A OTHERS' PRAYER.
both the sun and shower are there. The A LITTLE hand within my own
style of Scripture has all this glory. It has -- I hold,
the gracefulness of a high utility ; it has the ore precious 'tis than silver, gems
majesty of intrinsic power; it has the charm
of its own sanctity : it never labors, never White, dimpled, soft, it nestles
strives, but, instinct with great realities and 'Neath my arm,
bent on blessed ends, it has all the translu- From harm.
cent beauty and unstudied power which you
might expect from its lofty object and all- Oh! darling little hand that clings
iwise Author. To mine,
wse AuthorOh, loving trustful eyes that
Softly shine,
OUR BABY. You look to me for all that love
Can give,
FRED A. HUNT. Will look to me as long as both
Shall live.
A VERY small man in a great many clothes,
SWith skin just as red as was ever a rose; I feel my great unfitness for
And hands full of dimples, that are clutching the air, The task;
And eyes of deep blue, with an unmeaning stare. More patience, Lord, more gentleness
a* I ask.
More love, with which to teach Thy
But that very small man, how large in his realm, Love divine;
And how balmy the breeze when he stands at the Less faith in my own strength, uch more
helm; faith in my own strength, much more
While how quickly o'er cast become the home skies In Thine.
When the little man's voice is uplifted in cries. More courage, faith and hope to point
The road,
In his dress only mothers can imagine how rich That narrow road and straight, which leads
In hopes and fond prayers was taken each stitch; To God.
While the i, .therly love breathed into that dYess
Hovers over o',r boy like an angel's caress. THE ESSENCE OF MANLINESS.
ALEXANDER MACLAREN.
And a rose, n t a flour, "by the calm Bendemeer" ERE is the manliness of manhood, that
Was ever of ur very small man the peer; ,
And no perfu me of Araby ever beguiles a man has a reason for what he does,
The senses, Ii re one of our little man's smiles, and has a will in doing it.

56 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

PROCRASTINATING POLLY. them carefully into the :tlnt.--t part of the
A LAS! poor Polly Bentley, she won and fire, and get them burnt t... ,i, every seed
well deserved the name of "Procrast- of them. If you sow them, no matter in
inating Polly." She was always just a little what ground, up they will come, with long,
late. Late to breakfast, late to dinner, late tough roots like couch-grass, and luxuriant
to supper. Just a little late, just enough to stalks and leaves, as sure as there is a sun in
be noticeable. All entreaty, all scolding heaven-a crop which it turns one's heart
seemed in vain. She would promise not to cold to think of. The devil, too, whose spe-
be late again, and before an hour had passed cial crop they are, will see that they thrive,
she would be just a little late for something, and you, and nobody else, will have to reap
She was always late over her lessons, and them; and no common reaping will get them
often had to sit down on the way to school out of the soil, which must be dug down
to finish a sum or a lesson. Alas for poor deep again and again. Well for you if, with
Polly; she has won a name that is easy to all your care, you can make the ground
get, but hard to lose. She might just as well sweet again by your dying day.
be Punctual Polly as Procrastinating Polly,
but then she don't care; and the probabili- JACK AND GILL.
ties are that to the end of her days she will LENGTHENED.
be shiftless and careless and slovenly. Little ACK and Gill went up the hill
girls, fight against this bad habit. It's just To bring a pail of water,
as easy to be in time as to be too late. Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Gill came tumbling after."
TWO OF THEM. Little Jane ran up the lane
To hang her clothes -, ~l.-ing,
TWO little girls She called for Nell to -.. 11 .. bell
Are better than one. Cause Jack and Gill were dying.
Two little boys
Can double the fun. Nimble Dick ran up so quick,
Two little birds H.: tlam-l.l.l ..ver a timber,
Can build a fine nest. He i,.!_1 Ln. 1.-- to shoot a crow,
Two little arms And killed poor puss in the window.
Can love mamma best. C 1I M, n took up that cat
Two little shoulders,
Chubby and strong; Ao. r_ i t, her in the water,
uTwo little fet, ; The fishes round came at the sound,
runningg all day long. To seewhat made-.. -,I ,nr
: Two little prayers Whined one :....I pike, "I do not like
Does my darling say; A cat here', i, 1 river."
Twice does he kneel You fool, she's dead," an old pike said,
At my side, each day. And I will eat her liver.
Two little folded hands,
Soft and brown; Then came a trout that flounced about,
Tv.. !',!. ,. -I.i And made his fins to rattle,
C ,.1 .... i;, .L.., "Leave her for me," aloud cried he,
An!.I ...Ait~ angels And then there came a battle.
( ,,.1,'.! P i_, in bed,
01I.- .i ru. 1i...i. Twas pike and trout, now in now out,
.\LA i...,- ,, ,. head. Till when they both went under,
An eel slipped in as sly as sin,
And carried off the plunder.
SOWING WILD OATS. And all this ill where Jack and Gill
THOMAS HUGHES. Went for that pail of water,
N all the wild range of accepted British And "Jac fell down and broke his crown,
_1 ,i, 1...1 l..i.-is none, take it for all in all,
more 1.i.I 1-, ivabominable than this one as But up Jack got and home did trot.
to the ....v .f wild oats. Look at it on As fast as he... 11 ,. i i
His ma had the v.l 'i .i i]. In I-, jb I>
what side you will, and you can make noth- With vinegar i... i i.,..'"
ing but a devil's maxim cf it What a mmn
-be he young, old, or Io;,l,||-. ,., ,l--I, ... When Gill cam.t i ..-..! .. lii rin.
e, lie no g ols, o To see Jack's curious plaster;
that, and nothing else, sh.li! i I'1. Thl- Her mother vexed, then whipt hs next,
one only thing to do with wild oats is to put For laughing at Jack'- .i .,-,

THE SONG SPARROW. on their heads, were all captured and eaten
JANE M. READ. by the Weasels!
The more honor the more danger.
A H! little sparrow, near my lattice singing,
Trilling sweet music on the summer air,
Thou knowest not the thought thy song is bringing, EARTH SINGS HER PARABLES.
Sweet singer, thou, and free from fear and care. OLARA THWAITES.
I see thy restless wings that often flutter ARTH sings her parables of loss and gain
As if thou fain wouldst leave thy place of rest, In boldest speech.
And wonder, art thou thinking ever fondly, Yet heights sublime which spirits shall attain
Of her who broods to-day upon her nest? She cannot reach.
Aerial whispers float o'er land and sea-
Thinking of her, but not as I am -i ;!.i;,1 "It doth not yet appear what we shall be."
Of those whose wants are ever near my heart.
No doubts perplex thee while the sunset lingers, Her royal purples and her crowns of gold,
As if reluctant from the hills to part. Her white attire,
The sceptered lilies which her summers hold
No blue, no scarlet plumage art thou wearing; With flames afire-
No golden crown adorns thy humble crest; All fail to see the glory we shall see-
And, yet, of all God's birds that come to cheer us, "It doth not yet appear what we shall be."
What wonder if I love the sparrow best.
SWho from unsightly bulb or slender root
Humble, like her who gave her scanty living, Could guess aright
Like her, remembered in the Holy Work, The glory of the flower, the fern, the fruit,
Thou comest, year by year, to teach the lesson In summer's height?
That God is not forgetful of a bird. Through tremulous shadows voices call to me,
Come often near my window, gentle sparrow, It doth not yet appear what we shall be."
Sing out thy happy song and tfnow no fear, Triumphant guesses from the seer and sage
Until my faith grows stronger fdr thy coming, Through shadows dart,
Knowing our Father, in his love, is near. And tender meanings on the poet's page
Until, amid my toil and daily trials, Console the heart.
I learn to sing, with thee, a song of praise, 0 songs prophetic! though so sweet are ye -
And, with a thankful heart, no !j-nvr borrow It doth not yet appear what we shall be."
One trembling thought of fear i._,i future days.
JUPITER, NEPTUNE, MINERVA AND
THE MICE AND THE WEASELS. MOMUS.
A CCORDING to an ancient legend, the
T HE Weasels and the Mice waged a per- A first man Tyas made by Jupiter, the
Spetual warfare with each other, in which first bull by N. pi .ii, -. and the first house by
much blood was shed. The Weasels were Minerva. On the completion of their labors, a
always the victors. The Mice thought that the dispute arose, as to which had made the most
cause of their frequent defeats was, that perfect w.iwk. They agreed to appoint
they had It,,. leaders set apart from the gen- Momus as judge, and to abide by his decision.
eral army to command them, and that they Momus, however, being very envious of the
were exposed to dangers from want of dis- handicraft of each, found fault with all. He
cipline. They chose, therefore, such mice as first blamed the work of Neptun.. l.'.i.'-e
were renowned for their family descent, he had not made the horns of the ..uiil Ihl..'
strength, and counsel, as well as most noted his eyes, that he might better see where to
for their courage in the fight, that they might strike. He then condemned the work of
marshal them in battle array, and form them Jupiter, because he had not placed the heart
into troops, regiments and battalions. When of man on the outside, that every one might
all this was done, and the army disciplined, read the thoughts of the evil-disposed, and
and the herald Mouse had duly proclaimed take precautions against the intended mis-
war by challenging the Weasels, the newly chief. And, lastly, he inveighed against
chosen generals bound their heads with Minerva, because she had not contrived iron
straws, that they might be more conspicuous wheels in the foundation of her house, that
to all their troops. Scarcely had the battle its inhabitants might m /e easily remove if
commenced, when a great rout overwhelmed a neighbor should prove unpleasant. Jupi-
the Mice, who scampered off as fast as they ter, indignant at such inveterate fault-find-
could to their holes. The generals not being ing, drove him from his office of judge, and
able to get in on account of the ornaments expelled him from the.mansions of Olympus.
A.

SPARKLES FOi BRIGIIT EYES. 59

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60 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

A JUNE LOVE SONG. saw a cat as white as milk, with eyes like
CHARLOTTE FISKE BATES. balls of emerald, with one hurt, bleeding
PASSING sweet with songs and roses, foot caught in a rabbit trap.
Day is ours untilit closes. "Oh!" said Gertie, "this is not Caspar
What though snow must yet be storming Chicklett's cat at all. Caspar's cat is a hide-
Airs the red rose now is warming ous little gray object, with a stumpy tail and
What care e, such rosy weather, ribs that stick out like the bars of a gridiron.
If we live this day together ?
By the scripture of my kiss But whosever cat it is, I will help it out of
Never was a June like this ? its trouble."
Oh, how joy and beauty bind us So she opened the mouth of the trap- and
To forget all ills behind us! the cat was free. And then she bound up
Though before us lie as many, the bleeding foot with her own checked hand-
Thou and I care not for any. kerchief, and gave the cat a crust of bread
June makes heaven in scent, sound, seeing; from her scanty dinner.
Lo e mkes etaven witou our beg. And then, after she had eaten greedily, the
Never was a day like this cat hobbled away.
"Mind, now," said Girtie, holding up her
GENTLE GERTIE. gnger, "keep out of the rabbit traps after
Y this. Poor pussy! I suppose I never shall
A F. see you again. But I am glad I let you out
LESLIE THORNE. Of the trap. I only wish that Granny was
" EW mew mew !" rich enough to keep a cat, I would take you
SThat was the sound that little Ger- home with me."
tie Goldenrod heard when she was picking up She looked up and down the meadow. The
dry sticks of wood along the edge of the pines whispered mysteriously in the breeze-
frozen wood. the frosted grass all leaned one way, and
f Gertie looked around her. down on the river the ice gleamed like a
There is no cat here in these woods," she sheet of looking-glass.
thought; "T-Iaust be dreaming." "I should like to slide on the ice," thought
And she drew her little red cloak closer Gertie. For hard-working little drudge
around her shoulders, and shivered with the though she was, the instincts of childhood
bitter, bitter cold. rose up within her now and then, and down
It was not for herself that she was gather- she skipped lighter than any cork.
ing the little faggots-it was to sell them in Lo, and behold there, on the river shore
the market-place, in order to get money to lay a little pair of skates, with silver straps
buy food for her good old grandmother, and and beads that glimmered like diamonds.
her three little brothers and sister, who had "Some child has left them." :,i1l Gertie,
neither father nor mother to earn a subsist- looking all about for the owner..
ence for them. And up to this time, all But no child was to be seen-only the pines
Gertie's little life had been toil and drudgery, and the frozen grass, all leaning one way, and
"Mew! mew mew!" an old owl, huddled up in its feathers, like
Again Gertie stood still to listen, old Father Martin in his black winter cloak.
"Perhaps," she thought, "it is Caspar "Well," said the Owl, "What are you
Chicklett's cat that he was going to drown waiting for ?"
in the river. But it isn't drowned at all. Gertie stared in her amazement. She had
Drowned cats don't mew like that, poor often heard the owl hoot, but never before
thing. It must be in great pain of some sort. had she understood his language. Dear,
I mean to go and see what the matter is." dear what was the world coming to, when
So Girtie laid down her little heap of dry owls spoke good English, and silver skates
wood and rotten sticks, jumped over the low lay in the fields ?
stone wall, and ran down the meadow slope "Please, sir," said she, at last, "I was
toward the river, wondering to whom these skates belonged.
Mew mew mew !" Perhaps you have seen some little lady or
The nearer she came to the little belt of gentleman pass this way ?"
pine woods the louder the mewing became, "No," said the Owl, winking his eyes very
until, under a veteran tree, where the pine- 1. ,.1 ; "no, I haven't. I rather think they
needles made a brown, rustling carpet, she are meant for you."

"But who on earth brought them here ?" here," said Gertie, beginning to feel very
said Gertie, more amazed than ever. much ashamed. "I have never even seen
"Can't you guess ?" said the Owl. the Princess. So how could I have rendered
"No," answered Gertie. her a service ?"
"Why, the Fairies, to be sure," said the "Here is the princess!" cried all the
Owl. courtiers at once. And 'a lovely young
At this Gertie was greatly astonished. maiden, all in floating white robes, appeared.
"I didn't know there were any Fairies But, as she walked, she limped a little; and,
hereabouts," said she. to her surprise, Gertie perceived that one of
There are Fairies everywhere," said the old her feet was bandaged up with her own little
Owl. "Come, put on your skates. I want to checked neckerchief.
see you strike out, left--. '-- iht.--left." "I am the poor prisoner Cat," said the
So Gertie put on the shining, lovely things Princess. "Ah, you think it strange, but we
which seemed to twine around her feet, as if Fairies sometimes like to change ourselves
they had little clinging hands, and away she into different forms, and my cat-curiosity led
went down the bright river with the old owl me into a sad scrape What would have be-
clapping his wings by way of applause. And come of me if it had not been for you, I shud-
after a little while the bushes along the river der to think. Because, if once I died by
shore, changed to beautiful forests where the neglect or cruelty, not all the fairy wands of
icicles were bunches of fruit, and the pines my enchanted home could restore me to life
became shining castles, and she found herself again. Yes, dear little girl, you fancied you
in a lovely place where little children, scarcely were merely doing a kindness to a poor tor-
larger than wrens and sparrows frolicked toured cat, but you were in reality extending
around sparkling fountains, and a band of a helping hand to the daughter of the Queen,
music played the sweetest tunes and everyone of the Fairies."
seemed to be doing nothing but enjoying "And now," said the Queen, smiling gra-
himself. ciously upon Gertie, "you have only to wish
"What place is this ?" she asked, eagerly, three wishes."
"where every one gets enough to eat, and "And they shall be granted," spoke up all
the children play games and dance, instead the ,court in chorus.
of picking faggots of wood and scrubbing Gertie drew a long breath. "I wish,"
kitchen floors ?" said she, "that Granny was entirely well of
"It is Enchanted Land," answered the old her rheumatism; I wish that we had money
Owl, who sat on one of the pinnacles of the enough to live comfortably, and to educate
Royal Palace, and plumed his wings as the children; and I wish that I may always
calmly as if Girtie had not just left him on be able to help the sick and the suffering,
the old elm tree a good seven miles away. wherever I may find them."
"I am a fairy, too, only you wouldn't suspect The Fairies all shouted and clapped their
it. I am the Wise Man of that place-the hands-the Queen said, solemnly:
schoolmaster of all the fairies. Only, as the "Your wishes are granted."
children know everything before they are And the next minute Gertie found herself
told, there isn't much for me to do." sitting on the roadside, with her head against
"I should say not," said Gertie-and she a r. .--. rock, and a bundle of dry sticks in
thought what a nice country this must be to her lap. Had it only been a dream ? But
live in, where everybody knew everything no, it could not have been. One silver strap
without the trouble of learning, was still twined around her foot, and the
Just then a grand procession came around neckerchief was gone from her neck.
the corner; the Queen, in her royal robes, And when she got home, she found Granny
and all the courtiers, with gold-pointed spears quite well of the rheumatism, and heard the
and nodding white plumes. news that a rich uncle, lost at sea, had left
"You are welcome, Gertie," said her Maj- them all his fortune. And she always be-
esty. "After the great service" you have lived that this good luck came from Fairy
rendered to the Princess, we fae resolved to Land.
grant you three gifts." And whenever she had an opportunity, she
(Because, you know, when you get among was always ready to help the poor and ill; so
the fairies, everything goes by threes.) that throughout all the neighborhood, she
"But, oh dear there is some mistake was known by the name of." Good Gertie !"

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 63

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64 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

THE DISAPPOINTED. do this he would go about among thl- differ-
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX. ent kingdoms and persuade the rulers to join
with him and try to overcome his enemy;
HEE are songs enough for the hero and then there would be terrible bloodshed
Who dwells on the heights of Fame;
I sing for the disappointed, in order to satisfy one wicked man's revenge.
For those who missed their aim. Aristagoras was such a man as this. He was
Ssg wh a t c dissatisfied with his king, and wished to be-
or one who stands in the dark, come the king himself instead. One day he
And knows that his last, best arrow came to Sparta on this evil errand, and tried
Has bounded back from the mark. to persuade King Cleomenes, the father of
I sing for the breathless runner, little Gorgo, to help his base project. He
The eager, anxious soul, promised him power and honor and money
Who falls with his strength exhausted if he would do as he wished: more and more
Almost in sight of the goal; money, and, as the king refused, still more
For the hearts that break in silence and more money he offered, and at last the
With a sorrow all unknown; king almost consented.
For those who need companions, But it had happened that when Aristagoras
Yet walk their ways alone, had come into the presence of the king, the
There are songs enough for the lovers king's little daughter was standing by his
Who share love's tender pain; side with her hand in his. Aristagoras
I sing for the one whose passion wanted (.'I-. .!!.,. ,, to send her away, for* he
Is given and given in vain. knew very well that it is much harder to in-
For those whose spirit comrades duce a man to do something wrong when
Have missed them on the way, there is a dear little child at his side. But
I sing with a heart o'erflowing the king had said, "No, say what you have
This minor strain to-day. to say in her presence, too." And so little
to say in her presence, too. And so little
And I know the solar system Gorgo had sat at her father's feet, looking
Must somewhere keep in space up into his face with her innocent eyes and
A prize for that spent erner listening intently to all that was said. She
felt that something was wrong, and when
For the Plan would be imperfect she saw her father look troubled and hesi-
Unless it held some sphere tate, and cast down his eyes, she knew the
And love that are wasted here. strange visitor was trying to make him do
something he did not quite want to do. She
stole her little hand softly into her father's
A GRECIAN PRINCESS. and said:
A CLASSC STORY. Papa, come away, come, or this strange
man will make you do wrong."
WAY off in the beautiful country of This made the king feel strong again, and,
Greece, a long, long time ago, there clasping the little maid's hand tightly in his
lived a little maiden, the daughter of a own, he rose and left the tempter and went
king. Her name was Gorgo--not a very away with the child who had saved him and
pretty name, perhaps, to us who are used to his country from dishonor. Gorgo was
calling little girls Maud and Ethel and only ten years old then, but she was worthy
Helen, but a strong name, and therefore to be a king's daughter because, being good
quite appropriate to the little maid who bore and true herself, she helped her father to be
it, as you shall see. In those old times there good and true also.
used to be many wars, and the country of When she grew to be a woman she became
Sparta, the part of Greece where Gorgo the wife of a king, and then she showed her-
lived, was famous for its brave warriors, who self as noble a queen as she had been a prin-
never thought for a moment of their own cess. Her husband was that Kifig Leonidas
.f'..t, when their country was in danger, who stood in the narrow pass of Thermoplya
Sometimes these were not good wars, but with his small army and fought back the
wars for spite and revenge instead of for free- great hosts of the Persians until he and his
dom and for loyalty to beautiful Greece. heroic band were killed. But before this
Some wicked man would wish to avenge happened there was a time when the Grecians
an injury he had received, and in order to ,did not know that the great Persian army was

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 65

coming to try and destroy them, and a friend The farmer needs must sow and till
of theirs, who was a prisoner in the country And wait the wheaten head,
where the great Xerxes lived, wishing to Thencradle, thresh, and go to mill,
warn the Spartans of the coming of the Per-
sians, so that they might prepare, sent a Swift heels may "t the early shout,
messenger to King Leonidas. But when the But, spite of -II ,!i din,
messenger arrived all he had to show for his It is the patient holding o .t
message was a bare, white waxen tablet.
The king and all his lords were puzzled over
this strange tablet a long time, but could DON'T BE TOO SMART.
make nothing of it. At last they began to A DONKEY who was tired of drawing
think it was done for a jest and did not his master's cart about went to the
mean anything. cow for advice, saying: "You have nothing
But just then the young Queen Gorgo said: to do all day long, while I work like a slave.
"Let me take it," and after looking it all Tell me how I can escape this drudgery."
over she exclaimed: There must be some "All you have to do is to run away and
writing underneath the wax! smash the cart," replied the cow. The don-
-l k scraped away the ax from the tab- ey determined to follow the advice, and
let, and there, sure enough, written on the e morning when he set out for the forest
wood beneath, was the message of the Gre- next morning when lie set out for the forest
wood beneath, was the message of the Gre- with the cart after faggots, he suddenly
dan. prisoner and his warning to King Leon- kicked up his heels and started off on a gal-
idas. lop. "Oh-ho!" exclaimed the peasant as he
Thus Gorge helped her country a second put on the whip ; "I see what the trouble is
time, for if the Spartans had not known that with you! .I am giving you too many oats.
the army was coming they could not have Hereafter you rations will be reduced one-
warned the other kingdoms, and perhaps the half." Moral: There is such a thing as
Persians would not have been conquered. being too smart.
Bat as it was, Leonidas and the other kings
!i.l their armies together, and when the
Persian host came sweeping over the plains THE TWO BELLS.
the Greeks were ready to meet them and to BESSIE CHANDLER MOULTON
fight and die for their beautiful Greece.ONG years ago, so runs the ancient story,
So this one little maid of hundreds of JL Two bells were sent from Spain to that far
years ago, princess and queen, helped to save clime,
her father from disgrace and her country New found, beyond the sea, that to God's glory
from ruin. And we may feel sure that she And in His house -... l they might chime.
was strong and true to the last, even when And to this day one bell is safely swinging d
Within its shelt'ring tower, where, clear: and free,
her brave husband, Leonidas, lay dead in It hallows each day with its mellow ringing-
the fearful pass of Thermopyl.a, and she The other bell, the mate, was lost at sea.
was left to mourn in the royal palace at And when in gentle chimes the bell is pealing,
Sparta. The people listen; for they say they hear
Sparta An echo from the distant ocean stealing-
It is the lost one's answer, faint yet clear.
ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY. Ah, love, like those two bells we sailed together,
And you have reached your holy work and rest,
ACE CARY. But stormy was the way and rude the weather,
And I was lost beneath the wave's white crest.
THE boy who does a stroke, and stops- Over my buried heart the waters glisten,
Will ne'er a great man be; Across my breast the sea-weeds wave and twine,
'Tis the a-.iov tp of single drops Dead is my soul's best life, save when I listen
That ji .1:. I .. sea the sea. And hear your spirit calling unto mine.
Then the old longing wakes; I start, I shiver;
Not all at once the morning, streams I try to break the bonds which hold me dumb;
Its gold above the gray, I turn, I strive with many a throe and quiver-
It takes a thousand little beams I feebly answer, but I can not come.
To make the day the day.
Upon the orchard rain must fall, JOHN MILTON'S PRAYER.
And soak from branch to root,
And buds must bloom and fade withal, What in me is dark,
Before the fruit is fruit. Illumine: what is low, raise and support.

66 SPA l:KLLS FOR B1RIGIIT EYES.

CELEBRATING THE FOURTH OF JULY. important ;.n-irc-. let n : .:-! li.,t: ., butif
TEN LITTLE FINGERS. not, let us not make a m i- .-'. ,I- t1.' a holi-
day; let us save ,i.r tlimr and our fi,-w,'.Tl::.
EN little fingers toying with a mne- Are we not men ? But the Fourth of July
_ Bang! went the powder and then there were does mean something. It records no onl
nine. does mean something. It records not only
the birthtime of this free land, but every
Nine little fingers fixing rockets straight- Fourth of July comes with a fresh wreath to
Zip a kick backward, and then there were eight. Fourth of July comes with a fresh wreath to
hang about the memory of that original Inde-
Eight little fingers pointing up to heaven- pendence Day. The Fourth of July, 1886,
Roman candle "busted" and then there were seven. means more than it ever did. And if we feel
Seven little fingers punk and powder mix- no interest in these recurring national holi-
Punk was ignited, and then there were six. days we are unworthy of the land that feeds
Six little fingers for a "sisser" strive- us from its ample bosom, that fans our brows
One went off with it, and then there were five. with airs serene, and tosses over us the banner
of inviolate freedom. The modes of-celebra-
Five little fingers I,. ,,i;n.: for a roar- tion are not matters of importance. We are
Boom went the cannon, and then there were four. tion are not matters of importance. We are
not particular about the exact kind of Roman
Four little fingers with a pack made free- candle or sky rocket to be used, but we plead
Crash! went a cracker, and then there were three. for a patriotic celebration that shall have in
Three little fingers found the fuse burned blue- it some elements of gratitude for the past,
Bombshell too previous, and then there were two. and some brave, fearless contemplation of the
Two little fingers having lots of fun- future. God be thanked, the history of
Pistol exploded, and then there was one. America is not a dream of failure and despair.
America was not discovered in vain. It was
One little finger fooling with a gun-- genuine gold ta came o
Didn't know 'twas loaded, and then there was none. genuine gold that came out in the ay-
flower," and the future is big with promise.
The time of bud and blossom has had its
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH OF JULY. beautiful day, and the blossoms are changing
into fruit and will ripen through the summers
THOMAS w. HANDFORD. of many generations. With pride in the
SOME foolish people seem to think that it memory of the past, with larger hope for the
is childish to celebrate America's great years to come, we hail once more the advent
birthday. When we grow too old to be genu- of the glorious Fourth of July.
inely merry, when we grow too great to cele-
brate the Fourth of July, it is just about time
that our Julys came to an end. Our fore- A QUARREL.
fathers made a grand and solemn celebration rpHERE'S a knowing little proverb
*of Independence Day. They went to God's From the sunny land of Spain;
house and laid on God's altar the oblation of But in Northld and and in Southland
gratitude and praise, because of I-Iis mar- Is its meaning clear and plain.
gratitude and praise, iLk it up within your heart-
yelous lovingkindness to this nation. They Neither lose nor lend it:
summoned their chosen orator to give utter- Two it takes to make a quarrel-
ance to the loyal pride that burned in their One can always end it.
hearts; pride that their poor common words Try it well in every way-
were much too poor to express. Of course it Still you'll find it true.
is fashionable to laugh at these bravo, godly In a fight without a foe,
pioneers, for their puritan notions. But the Pray, what could you do?
probabilities are, that if some of these Cottons, If the wealth was your's alone
probabilitiesare,thatifsomeoftheseSoon you would expend it.
and Winthrops, and Mathers, and Brewsters Two it takes to make a quarrel-
could once again revisit the glimpses of the One can always end it.
moon" they would weep for the degeneracy Let's suppose that both are wroth,
'of an age that seems to leave God out of all And the strife begun;
*counting; an age that would probably forget If one voice shall cry for Peace,"
Him altogether, if it had not graven on every Soon it will be done;
;silver dollar and on every golden coin-" In If but one shall span the breach,
He will quickly mend it.
God we trust." Shall we celebrate the Fourth Two it takes to make a quarrel-
of July ? Well, if the Fourth of July has any One can always end it.

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL. their first stones were laid in the earth. I was
BEFORE SCHOOL. there! Amid all their splendor, glory, and
wickedness, I was in their busy streets, and
" ( UARTER to nine! Boys and girls, do you crumbling their magnificent palaces to the
m e hear?" earth. My books will show a fearful account
One more buckwheat, then-be quic, mother, dear, against them. I control the fate of empires;
Where is my luncheon-box? "-"Under the shelf, J -
Just in the place you left it yourself !" I give them their period of glory and
"I can't say my table!"-"O, find me my cap!" splendor ; but at their birth I conceal in
"One kiss for mamma, and sweet Sis in her lap." them the seeds of death and decay. They
"Be good, dear,"-"I'll try."-"9 time's 9's 81." must go down and be humbled in the dust;
akeBill; m tte"--"Alligh-" y up' their heads bow down before the rising glories
With a slam of the door they are off, girls and boys, of young nations, to whose prosperity there
And the mother draws breath in the lull of their noise, will also be a date, and a day of decline.
AFTER SCHOOL. I poise my wings over the earth, and watch
the course and doings of its iLhabitants. I
"Don't wake up the baby! Come gently, my dear!" call up the violets upon the hill, and crumble
"0, mother! I've torn my new drc-- 1.-t look here! the gray ruins to the ground. I am the
I'm sorry I was only climbing the -- I
"0, mother, my map was the nicest of all!" agent of a Higher Power, to give life and to
"And Nelly, in :!. i...I,_ went up to the head!" take it away. I spread silken tresses upon
"0, say! can I go out on the hill with my sled?" the brow of the young, and plant gray hairs.
"I've got such a toothache."--"The teacher's unfair!" on the head of the aged man. Dimples and
"Is dinner most ready? I'm just like a bear!"
Be patient, worn mother, they're growing up fast, smiles, at my bidding, lurk around the lips.
These nursery whirlwinds, not long do they last; of the innocent child, and I furrow the brow
A still, lonely house would be far worse than noise; of the aged with wrinkles.
Rejoiceand be glad in your brave girls and boys! Old call you me ? Aye but when will
my days be numbered ? When shall time,
TIME'S SOLILOQUY. end, and eternity begin ? When will the
earth and its waters, and the universe.
OLD call you me ? Aye when the Al- cease, and a new world commence its revolu-
mighty spoke creation into birth, I tions ? Not till He who first bid me begin
wasthere. ThenwasIborn. Amid thebloom my flight, so orders it. When His purposes
and verdure of paradise, I gazed upon the who called me into being are accomplished,
young world radiant with celestial smiles, then, and not till then,-and no one can pro-
I rose upon the pinions of the first morn, and claim the hour-I, too, shall go to the place
caught the sweet dewdrops as they fell and of all living.
sparkled on the boughs of the garden. Ere
the foot of man was heard sounding in this WORK.
wilderness, I gazed out on its thousand rivers, ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.
-:1.!m,,1, in light and reflecting the broad WIHAT are we set on earth for? Say, to toil-
sun, like a thousand jewels upon their Nor seek to leave thy tending of the vines,
bosoms. For all the heat o' day, till it declines,
The cataracts sent up their anthems in And Death's mild curfew shall from work assoil.
God did anoint thee with his odorous oil,
these solitudes, and none was here but me, to To wrestle, not to reign ; and he assigns
listen to the new-born melody. The fawns All thy tears over, like pure crystallines,
bounded over the hills, and drank at the For younger fellow-workers of the soil
limpid streams, ages before an arm was To wear for amulets. So others shall
raised to i r or ke them afraid. Take patience, labor, to their heart and hand,
raised to injure or make them arai. or om thy and, and ty heart, and thy brave cheer,
thousands of years the morning star rose in And God's grace fructify through thee to all.
beauty upon these unpeopled shores, and its The least flower, with a brimming cup, may stand
twin-sister of the eve flamed in the forehead And share its dew-drop with another near.
of the sky, with no eye to admire their rays
but mine. A YOUNG MAN'S SADDEST MISTAKE.
Aye call me old ? Babylon and Assyria, M. M. CASS, JR.
Pl,, and Thebes, rose, rli..in h. 1i, and TT is a sad day for a young man when he
fell, and I beheld them in their glory and I first allows himself to.believe that there
their decline. Scarce a melancholy ruin is an easier way of making a dollar than by"
marks the place of their existence; but when honest work.

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 69

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70 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

ROSY CHEEKIT APPLES. rustle here and there as we pass along, and
WILLLAM WYE SMITH. now and then the breath of hurrying wings.
w, b e, fr yr b The hooting call of an owl in the distance;
C' Rosy aa, bainie, fo y sha e hee; perchance the cry of the stone curlew, like
A' sac fou o' hinny, they drappit frae the tree, the piteous wail of some sorrowing soul,
Like your bonny sel', a' the sweeter they are wee! bound down to earth, yet striving to rise to
Come awa, bairnic, dinna shake your head, heaven; and myriad other sounds whose
Ye mind me o' my ain bairn, lang, lang dead; origin we cannot tell.
Ah! for lack of nourishment be drappit frae the tree, And the air is filled with dim and shadowy
Like your bonny sel' a' the sweeter he was wee. forms, coming we know not whence, going
0 auld frail folk are like auld fruit trees, we know not whither. Bats darting by in
They canna stand the gnarl o' the cauld warl's pursuit of some insect victim; night-jars cir
breeze; cling around with their noiseless, mysterious
But heaven taks the fruit, though earth forsake the flight. Sweeping past us for one brief mo-
tree, ment we see that
An' we mourn our fairy blossoms, a' the sweeter men wesee that they are there, and that is
they were wee! all; and then they pass into the darkness as
silently and weirdly as they came out of it.
THE WORLD BY NIGHT. But it is not always easy to mark and note
the creatures of the night, for the awe of the
W THEN I am tired with work, or wor- sleeping world fills one with all-absorbing
ried by any of the small troubles of thoughts, which cannot but be solemn, and
daily life, I always take a long night ramble even grave. It is at night, in scenes of star-
out into the open country. I do not much light loneliness, that one feels so much of the
care whither I go. Sometimes it is to the deep mystery that enwraps us-that renders
woods; sometimes to the fields; sometimes our very being so much of a puzzle that al-
down to the sea-shore. All I want is to be most terrifies us when we allow our minds to
for a while with nature in silence and in soli- dwell upon it. I think that is partly be-
tude, altogether away from the haunts of cause the stillness permits, nay, almost com-
men. And I never return without feeling pels us to concentrate our thoughts upon
better and brighter both in body and in subjects foreign to those which occupy them
mind. during daylight hours, and still more because
Often do I marvel that I meet never a soul the darkened sky seems so much grander
on similar errand bent, for there is so much and vaster than it ever appears when the sun
to see and to learn. The night side of na- has risen and flooded it with light. The stars
ture; how few of us know anything about give one such an idea of measureless dis-
that; we who pass our lives in the open coun- tance, enable one to form some faint idea of
try surrounded by natural objects; and famil- the mystery of space, which is of all mysteries
iarized by long experience with the birds and one of the most puzzling.
the beasts and the plants daily presented to
our view. We know the daylight side only, LOVE AND ACTIONS.
with just a glimpse or two into the dusk; be-
yond that border line which separates night HUGH MACMILLAN.
from day, all is a blank and a mystery to us. T ITTLE love can perform great actions
And we have, as it were, a new and a stranger _I -but it requires great love to present
world around us, which we have never cared like little children small offerings--and to
or troubled to explore, devote every moment and task of our life
For the world by night is not at all the to God. A largeness of heart which thus
same as the world by day. The most familiar attends to the smallest details of piety -to
spots are changed and altered; so much is the little things in which love most power-
hidden, so much more but dimly revealed, fully shows itself, which recognizes God
Its inhabitants, too, are new and strange habitually, and seeks constant opportunity
to us. We miss the birds singing gaily upon to please Him, will never be oppressed with
the branches, the squirrel skipping playfully listlessness and ennui. Every hour will be
from tree to tree. There are no butterflies filled with incident; every object will possess
to pass us swiftly by, like streaks of painted a secret charm, and life will be a continual
light; no bees humming drowsily as they feast. A heap of sand becomes a heap of
seek the honeyed flowers. But there is a jewels.

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 71

.- i -

." "TE 'BO. E O 0. ITENTION. ,
SHERE werei

.'.l; and a very happy life these dogs had, for they were regarded as mem-,
Sbers of the family, and were much more kindly treated than many children
S-ido always wore -a ble ribbon round his neck Spo had a dainty little bell,
m a bc vulgar, ill-tempered dog, and then the days of peace were

SThis unwelcome intruder, whom Harry called Turk, made the lives of the
ltb. r petted dogs miserable. Every bone that was thrown to them became a
bone of contention, and Turk was so mean that though he didn't want the

bone himself he would stand guard over it and snap and snarl so that the r |
Sodther poor little pets would be too terrified touch it. Boys and dogs are
the do. A wen I w-e- t

much alike. Petted boys are not very brave and boys like Turk find it o
--very easy to make them miserable.
"-- him-el nd er happld -in-e ge ds he afo te w arl so me

THE SHINING LITTLE HOUSE. When we are least worthy, most tempted,
T hung in the sun, the little house, hardest, unkindest, let us yet commend our
It hung in the sun and shone, spirits into His hands. Whither else dare we
And through the walls I could hear his voice send them?- George Macdonald.
Who had it all for his own. Who fathoms the eternal thought?
The walls were of wire, as bright as gold, Who talks of scheme and plan?
Wrought in a pretty design; TheLordisGod! He needethnot
The spaces between for windows served, The poor device of man.
And the floor was clean and fine. -- G. Whittier.
Character in a preacher is the very force
There was plenty, too, to eat and drink, in the bow that launches the arrow. It is the
In this little house that shone; latent heart behind the words that gives them
A lucky thing, to be sure, you'd say, direction and the projectile force.-Dr. Z. lM
A house like this for one's own! the projectile
IT
But the door was shut and locked all tight I am not what I was; I am not what I
The key was on the outside;
The one who was in could not get out, would be; I am not what I should be; I am
No matter how much he tried, not what I shall be; but, by the grace of God,
I am what I am.-John V.; '.' .
'Twas only a prison after all,
This bright little house that shone; It may be said that the hardest thing in
Ah, we would not want a house like that, the world is to do just right one's self, and
No matter if 'twere our own! that the easiest thing in the world is to see
And yet, through the walls I hear the voice where others fall short of doing just right
Of the one who lived inside; No soul can preserve the bloom and delicacy
To able a sweeter song each day of its existence without lonely musings and
silent prayer, and the greatness of this neces-
To open the door he never sought, sity is in proportion to the greatness of the
Nor fluttered in idle strife; soul.
He ate and he drank and slept and sang
And made the best of his life. There is no such detective as prayer, for
no one can hide away from it. It puts its
And I, to myself, said every day, hand on the shoulder of a man ten thousand
As his cheery song I heard, miles off. It alights on a ship in mid-
There's a lesson for us in every note Atlntic.-T. De ; T
Of that little prison bird. Atlantic.- De .
Sa o u l a l l h, Get into the habit of looking for the silver
We aallo us a life ike lining of the cloud, and when you have found
We all long to do a hundred things it continue to look at it, rather than at the
Which we could not if we tried. leaden gray in the middle. It will help you
over many hard places.-A. A. WilZetts.
We can spend our strength all foolishly
In a discontented strife, The blue of heaven is larger than the cloud.
Or we can be wise, and laugh and sing -E. B. .
And make the best of our life.
A good conscience is the finest opiate.-
-John IKnox.
THINGS TO THINK OF. The reward of one dnutJ is the power to
r HEY must keep close to the throne of fulfill another.
Grace who would win the throne of God's company not only makes glad but
glory.-Trail. makes good, which is the best effect.-Thomras
None are ruined by the justice of God but Adams.
those who will not 1.- reformed by the grace Patience is not passive; on the .contrary, it
of God. is active, it is concentrated strength.
Worry is the child of unbelief; it is the Christ first, is the motto with the holiest
child of distrust. No one can trust God fully and happiest of His servants.--T. L. uyler.
and worry at the same time. To fill your life with the spirit of heaven
The man who is above his business may here, is the way to make sure of heaven here-
one .1, ., i.1,i his business above him.-Drew. after.--_', ..

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 73

P-11 I
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RIVALS FOR RO- '- HE'S LOVE
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74 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYE'.

LOUISA M. ALCOTT. Cornelia, "harmonious and fair;"
Selina, a sweet a:-h iri i, "
L OUISA M. ALCOTT, whose portrait we Lydia, a refreshir -.- .-
present on the next page, is one of the Judith, "a song of sacred praise:
best known of modern story writers. Many Julia, "a jewel few excel;"
years .. she wrote a charming book entitled Priscilla, "ancient of days.
" Little Women," which at once became
exceedingly popular not in America alone,
but throughout England and the Continent I CANNOT UNDO IT.
of Europe. Other works followed, and though ALITTLE girl sat trying to pick out a
they possessed considerable power none of them seam that she had sewed together
reached the l-.b- standard of her first book. wrong. Her liii.,' fingers picked at the
The volume ...t hospital Sketches had a large thread, that would break, leaving the end
sale; but Miss Alcott's fame like that of hidden somewhere among the stitches that
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe will depend she had labored so wearily to make short
almost entirely on one book. She has not and close : and though the thread came
only gained considerable renown, but has out, yet the needle holes remained, showing
amassed wealth enough with her pen to justhow the seam had been sewed; and with
make the closing years of her paralytic tears in her eyes she cried: "Oh, mamma, I
father-to whom she is most devotedly cannot undo it!"
,attached-serene and happy. Miss Alcott Poor little girl! you are learning one of the
with her aged l 1h. r and other members of saddest lessons there is. The desire of undo-
the f.io-ib- lives in Boston, where she devotes ing what can never be undone gives us more
much ot her time and energies to literary and trouble than all the doings of a busy life;
philanthropic pursuits. The p .... of some and because we know this so well, our hearts
of our best magazines are constantly enriched .. r, ,. ache for the boys and girls we see do-
by contributions from her r,..i pen. ing the things they will wish so earnestly by
and by to undo. Older '.., and girls have
NAMES FOR GIRLS. felt keener heartaches for graver faults. You
all know something of the desire to undo,
WITH TIEII MEAi GS. aSll and of the sorrow that you cannot. And
FRANCES is "unrestrained a",i i now, where is the bright side? Right here.
SBertha, pellucidd, purely ', 1_ ~.' Let us try to do a thing the first time so that
,. "clear" as the crystal sea; n- i
Lucy, a star of radiant "light;" we shall never wish to undo it.
Catharine is pure" as mountain air;
Barbara cometh "from afar;"
MIabel is "like a lily fair;" "GOD KEEPS POLLY."
Henrietta, a soft, sweet star."
elicia is a "happy irl;" THER girls have brothers kind,
Felicilda 's happ g; y t Little sisters good and bright,
Matilda is a "lady true; ,l,.I mother,-never mind,
Margaret is a shining "'pearl;" God keeps Polly.
Rebecca, "with the faithful few; "
Susan is a lily 1'. 71" Other girls can read and write,
Jane has the ', i f -, curve and grace, Say their prayers with perfect wits,
Cecilia, dear, is dim of sight;" I can only say at night,
Sophia shows "wisdom" on her face. "God keeps Polly."
Constance is firm and "resolute;"
Grace a delicious favor meet;" Other girls have faces fair,
Charlotte, "noble, of good repute;" Eyes to love and lips to kiss,
TTrriot, a fine "odor sweet;" Lovers for their graces rare,
I. 1 i .. a lady rare;" God keeps Polly.
Lucinda, constant as.the day; "
Maria means "'a lady fair;" Other girls can dance and sing,
\1.; .1. joyful" as the May; I can only island and look,
1~I ,... ., y lan oath of trust; But the winds are -.1; 1 i i.
Adelina, "is a princess, proud; "God keel'- 1'..1!;
Agatha is truly good and just,"
Leita, "a joy by love avowed. Other girls when they shall die,
Will have mourners standing by;
Jemima, "a soft sound in air;" No one need for me to cry-
Caroline, a sweet spirit hale;" God keeps Polly.

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 75

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-'"IS ".~ "l'f .'

76 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

OUR COUNTRY. An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,
An' make fun of ever' one an' all her blood-an'-kin,
THOMAS S. GRIMKE An' ouc't when they was "company." an' ole folks
W E cannot honor our country with too was there,
ee a cnt She mocked em, an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't
W deep a reverence. We cannot love her care i
with an ,1r.. i,, ,-1 too pure and fervent. We An' this as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an'
cannot serve her with an energy of purpose, hide,
or a faithfulness of zeal too steadfast and ar- They was two great big Black Things a-standin' by
dent. And what is our country? It is not An' thersnathed her through the ceiling 'fore she
the East, with her hills and her valleys, with know'd what she's about!
her countless sails, and the rocky ramparts An' the gobble-uns '11 git you
of her shores. It is not the North, with her Ef you
thousand villages and her harvest-home, with Don't Watch
her frontiers of the lake and the ocean. It Out i
is not the West with her forest-sea and her
inland isles, with her luxuriant expanses An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,
clothed in the verdant corn with her eati An' the lampwi sputters, an' te wind goes woo-oo
clothed in the verdant rn, with her beauti- An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray,
ful Ohio and her -!!i' -;.- M issouri. Nor is An'the iI.;.1.'-bugsin dew isallsquenched away,-
it yet the South, opulent in the mimic snow You better mind yer parents, an' yer teachers fond
of her cotton, in the rich plantations of the .11' '"in"
- tllj. .:ane, anl in the golden robes of the An'. 11 .. u 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's
-,and in the golden robes of the Itear,
i.:--i. ..1. What are these but the sister An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,
families of one greater, better, holier family Er the gobble-uns '11 git you
-our country ? Ef you
Don't
Watch
LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE. Out!
JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY.
EARLY SPRING.
L ITTLE Orphant Annie's come to our house to
S stay, ROE.
An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the s s ain a vi
crumbs away, season, so uncertain and variable,
An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the now smiling and -,. nil... now harsh and
.I, 1.. an' sweep, forbidding, reminds one ot coy, cold Beauty
An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her about to yield to Love's suit in spite of her-
boardan' keep ; self She tries, ut cannot maintain her
An' all us other children, when the supper r!,;i, is self. She tries, but cannot maintain her
done, frowns, for love softens her heart like the
We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun subtle south wind relaxing the frozen earth.
A-list'nin' to the witch tales 'at Annie tells r ...l '1 i ,....g her moods are abrupt and trying in
An the 'at gits you their changes, they are followed by remorse-
El you .c
Don't ful tears, just as rain one day seeks to banish
Watch the frost and snow of the -.! .... N,;._ '. Her
Out! temper is .I:.-n hi-h and uncertain, her
words a little sharp and blustering, like
Onc't i..- was a little boy wouldn't say his pray'rs- MNarch winds ; but wait patiently till all has
An' when he went to bed 'at night, away up stairs, an see ho softly and sweetly
His mammv heerd him holler, an' his daddy heerd lown over, and see how softly and sweetly
him bawl, she will smile on you. But don't presume;
An' when -1,. turn't the kivvers down, lie wasn't don't felicitate yourself too highly; there
there at all will : -1. 11'1. be a change. Patient wooing
An' they socked him in the rafter-room an' cubby- and ,ll;i,. shall be rewarded by the tearful
hole, an' press,
An' seeked him up the chimbly-llue, an' ever'wheres, penitence and sunny smiles -t April, and
I._. warmer ,iit ..tl..i of MI .- and June.
Pht all 11 found was this his pants an' round
about!-
An' the ,"bl l--uns '!1 git you GOD'S PLANS.
L. you
Don't 'I' OD'S plans, like lilies pure and white, unfold;
Watch T We must not tear the close-shut leaves apart,-
Out! Time will reveal the calyxes of gold.

SPAP]]KLE. FOR BRIGHT EYES.

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LITTLE ORPHIANT ANNIE.

'78 SP.\I:-TLI_ FOR BRIGHT EYES.

FELLOWSHIP WITH NATURE. your draught," and then she drank without
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, stopping till the jug was empty.
After this she went into the kitchen, and
'To look on ,o ntas in the hour placed the fowls again before the fire, basted
Of thoughtless youth; but hearing oftentimes them with butter, and rattled the spit round
The still, sad music of humanity, so furiously that they browned and frizzled
Nor harsh, nor _. .1,,- though of ample power with the heat. They would never miss a
To chasten and subdue. And I have felt little piece, if they searched for it ever so
A presence that disturbs me with the joy ,
Of elevated thtougts; a sense ublit e o carefully," she said to herself. Then she
Of ....'1,.;. i_ I r more deeply interfused, dipped her finger in the .1, ;I..ii. -i. I! t..
Wh ... I ..,I!I., is the light of setting suns taste, and cried, Oh, how i.... -. l-.. I ..,
And the round ocean, and the living air, are It is a sin and a shame that there is no
And the blue sky, and in the mind of man; one here to eat them."
A motion and a spirit, that impels
All thinking things, all objects of all thought, She ran to the window to see if her master
And rolls through all things, and the guests were coming; but she could
see no one. So she went and stood again by
the fowls, and thought, "The wing of that
CLEVER GRETHEL. fowl is a little burnt. I had better eat it
out of the way." She cut it off, as she
o thought this, and ate it up, and it tasted so
rHERE was once a cook named Grethel nice that when she had td!,'i.-, it, she
L who had shoes with red heels, and when thought, I must have the other. Master
she wore them out of doors, she would draw will never notice that anything is missing."
herself up and walk proudly, and say to her- After the two wings were eaten, Grethel
self, "I really am a handsome maiden." At again went to look for her master, but there
home she would sometimes, in a frolic, drink were no signs of his appearance. Who
.a glass of wine, or if she took it in her head, knows," she said to herself, "perhaps the
she would eat up all the best things in the visitors are not coming at all, and they have
house, till she was t11-r., .1. and say to her- kept my master to dinner, so he won't be
self, "The cook ought to know the taste of back."
ev:er'v+lbi-n ". Hi Grethel, there are lots of good things
r(11. ii., her master said to her, Grethel, left for you, and that piece of fowl has made
I have invited some friends to dinner to-day, me thirsty. I must have another drink be-
cook me some of your best chickens." fore I come back, and eat up all these good
"That will I do, master," she replied. So things." So she went into the cellar, took a
she went out and killed two of the best. large draught of wine, and, returning to the
fowls and prepared them n ri .i...1 ii-. kitchen, sat down, and ate the remainder of
In the afternoon she .1i .':1i r!T.: on the the fowl with great relish.
spit before the io, and they were all ready, There was now only one fowl left, and, as
and 1' wi Ri fI hot, and brown by the proper her master did not return, Grethel began to
time, i- .- visitors s had not arrived. So look at the other with longing eyes. At last
she went to her master, and said, "The she said, "Where one is, there must the
fowls will be quite spoilt if I keep them at other be ; for the fowls belong to each other,
the i. 1 '.- longer. It will be a pity and a and what is right for one is also fair and
shame if I are not eaten soon." right for the other. I believe, too, I want
Then said br'- m 'r. "'I will go and fetch some more to drink. It won't hurt me."
the visitors : .. .ii" ,.4I away he went. The last .1i, in.i gave her courage. She
As soon as his back was turned, 1I .1. I came back to the kitchen, and let the second
put the spit iil, the birds on one side, and fowl g, ..i r,-l i.- first.
il..-, .,1. I have been V..i. l' by the fire As she was er, i.",vi i the last morsel, home
so long that it has made me quite thiih'h-. came her master. Make haste, Grethel,"
Who knows when they will come ? \\'i- i. [ he cried. The guests will be here in a few
am -,. ;; I may as .. 1 run into the cellar, minutes."
and have a little 21..!.." .. she seized a j,_. Yes, master," she replied. "'It will soon
and i:1. 4A1l T.ht. Groel, thou :!, ,it be all i. .,.."
have a :-. .1 \V.,. a so -*. !., ." Meanwhile, ti... master saw that the cloth
she said, aga;i:. I .L.... not do to spoil was laid, and .. !.1ii..- in order. So he

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 79

took up the carving-knife, with which he in- So the year grew older noon by noon,
tended to carve the fowl, and went out to Till the reapers came one day,
And in the light of a harvest-moon
sharpen it on the stones in the passage. They bore the sheaves away.
While he was doing so, the guests arrived
and knocked gently and courteously at the But one field lay from the rest apart,
house-door. Grethel ran out to see who it All silent, lone, and dead;
was, and when she caught sight of the visit- And the rude share ribbed its quivering heart
ors, she placed her finger on her lips, and Till all its life had fled.
whispered, "Hush, hush! go back again as And never a blade, and never a flower
quickly as you came. If my master should On its silent ridges stirred;
catch you, it would be unfortunate. He did The sunshine called, and the passing shower-
invite you to dinner this evening; but with It answered never a word.
no other intention than to cut off both the
ears of each of you. Listen, you can hear It seemed as if some curse of ill
him sharpening his knife." Were brooding in the air,
m sharpening his knife.et the fallow field did the Master's will
The guests heard the sound, and hastened Though never a blade it bare;
as fast as they could down the steps, and
were soon out of sight. For it turned its furrowed face to heaven,
Grethel was not idle. She ran screaming Catching the light and rain:
to her master, and cried, You have invited It was keeping its Sabbath-one in seven-
fine visitors, certainly !" That it might grow rich again.
"Hi! Why, Grethel, what do you mean ?" And the fallow field had its harvest-moon,
"Oh!" she exclaimed, "they came here Reaping a golden spoil:
just now, and have taken my two beautiful And it learned in its ever-brightening noon
fowls from the dish that I was going to bring That rest for God was toil.
up for dinner, and run away with them.
"What strange conduct !" said her master, BOOKS ARE IMMORTAL.
who was so sorry to lose his nice dinner that
he rushed out to follow the thieves. "If they ) OOKS possess an essence of immortality.
had only left me one, or at least enough for They are by far the most lasting prod-
my own dinner," he cried, running after ucts of human effort. Temples crumble
them. But the more he cried to them to into ruin; pictures and statues decay; but
stop, the faster they ran; and when they saw books survive. Time is of no account with
him with the knife in his hand, and heard great thoughts, which are as fresh to-day as
him say, Only one Only one I" he meant, when they first passed through their author's
if they had left him "only one fowl;" but minds, ages ago. What was then said and
they thought he spoke of "only one ear," thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever
which he intended to cut off, and so they ran from the printed page. The only effect of
as if fire were burning around them, and time has been to sift and winnow out the
were not satisfied till they found themselves bad products; for nothing in literature can
safe at home with both ears untouched, long survive but what is really good.

THE FALLOW FIELD. MORNING.
HENRY BURTON. W. J. HENDERSON.
'TrHE days-were bright and the year was young, (\H, fair, sweet mother of the southern breeze
S As the warm sun climbed the sky; J Celestial morning, lo, thou dost awake!
And a thousand flowers their censers swung, And garments of celestial light dost take,
And the larks were singing high; And swift thy scented breath comes o'er the trees,
The pink rose garlands fall down to thy knees,
For an angel swept on silent wing And there, all glittering with dew, 'i. shaks
To the grave where the dead earth lay; Like wavelets on some molten silver lake,
And the Easter dawned as the angel Spring 'Neath thy blue eye that smiles across the seas.
Rolled the rugged stone away. And from thy purple chalice pouring flowers
Upon the level streams and rolling lands,
Then t,.- i.ii rew green with springing corn, Across the rich horizon thou dost fly,
And :. .iu- i,. i flowers were lhriTt: Arousing all the laughing little hours
And each day came with an (. -uni I .1i T-L, Ti, ,T il:.fi slip away in broken bands
And a fuller, sweeter light. L, in. I, i L moonless and the I l. 1. sky.

80 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

"WON'T YOU TAKE A NICKEL FOR IT?" white clouds are driving over. What aerial
-t..t 1 -. what ethereal grace, what divine
OOR little Rhoda! she had passed by purity in those. transparent banners of pearl
1I Miss Ward's toy store many times, and and snow. What shifting splendors will one
had admired almost everything Miss Ward hour reveal. What dreams of "pure spaces,
had put in the window. There were horses clothed in living beams" will not come to
and wagons, guns and fishing-rods; but these you in that brief time of gazing. Stay on
were for boys, of course. What she most ad- until the sun sets and you will see a pano-
mired was a lovely doll, with real -, -ii hair rama of infinite glory. Your white clouds.
and blue eyes, and oh I so beautifully dressed, have gathered together now in the west and
with a white dress and a pink sash, and a become a little denser, and the setting sun
real lace collar. Every time she passed Miss illuminates them with a brilliancy known
Ward's she looked at the doll and wished it onlyto Nature. Man has never rivaled such
were her own. One day her Pa gave her a a gorgeous spectacle as this. Giant castles.
bright, new nickel, and with this treasure and cathedrals of gold rise in many-pin-
she hastened away to Miss Ward's without nacled splendor from the red sea of the sun-
saying a word. Rhoda had been with her set and toss their towers and turrets into the.
mother shopping, and so was at no loss how air. Slender minarets of rose and snow shoot.
to act. "I want to look at that doll with up here and there, like the splinters of the.
the white dress and pink sash, if you please," northern lights seen on winter nights in Arctic
she said. Miss Ward handed out the tempt- seas. Little crimson barks and barges sail
ing doll, and when she told her little cus- out here and there on to the paler sky, till
tomer that it would cost a dollar, the little the pale-blue vault is flecked with crimson
girl's heart was very sad. "Won't you take foam, and splintering rays of rare sunset,
a nickel for it ?" she said. Of course Miss red like bars of fire, lie across the whole.
Ward told her that was impossible. Poor western sky. In the north and south you
little Rhoda was sadly disappointed. She will have purple shadows, and in the east a
had to learn very early, what we all have to wondrous opaline light which seems to have
learn, sooner or later, that it is not wise to come in through some rift in the sky from
set your heart on things above your means, the heaven of heavens beyond. And all this
Nickels have their worth, but they won't buy splendor is -if,;l ,d moment by moment.
everything. Turn your head away but for an instant and
your fairy palace is gone, your cathedrals of
gold have fallen, your mosques and minarets
THE GLORIES OF CLOUDLAND. have vanished. Now hostile navies ride the
HATTIE TYNG GRISWOLD. seas and burning ships flame through the
luminous space. Great cities are wrapped
S AZING far up into the limitless arc of in flames and forests of fire blaze on high.
S space you will feel ever deepening The ...il ,1 i, i;...: of sunset are perhaps the
depths opening before your vision, while the grandest spectacles of Nature, but they
height of the great arching dome will grow blaze but for an hour, and then quieter but.
upon you the longer and more steadily you no less beautiful cloud .it, .:I can be studied.
gaze. Then what a revelation of color the Indeed, the ,ft,, _... -i ...-..: 1...t the keen-
mere blue of a cloudless midsummer day will est delight of ii .. L. I mI- ..f amethyst
be to you, when you have fixed your thoughts now prevail, and there is even a green which
upon it. Hour ,If ..r hour you may lie there can be seen nowhere but in the sky. It is a.
with an ever-increasing admiration of that blue in which emeralds have been dissolved.
wondrous color, which no earthly dyes have Peachblow tints and the most delicate pinks
ever been able even to imitate. Perhaps appear in conjunction with violet, and there
some fleecy, white clouds will sail over as is a dash of vivid orange here and there.
you gaze, and then you will begin to take Ah! what a feast of color there is spread for'
note of -1I-,p. -s well as height, and depth, us even in one single sunset, and day by day
and colo,. T!'.. shapes of the clouds-that passes and the world grows old, and there are-
of itself is a revelation of infinity. Past all never two sunsets that are alike. What a
: i ;T calculations are the variety, the beauty, gallery of pictures one year would serve to,
and the grace of cloud shapes, even in an or- hang in our memories if we but took note of
dinary summer sky, when only the thin them all.

OFF THE LINE. ond -: --:ti.;'s mess began without him, T
JOSEPHINE POLLARD. colonel was requested to' i the deserter
THE boys stood up in the -. ..i;. class- before a court-martial of those who had wvit-
A dozen or so- and each one said nessed his tippling.
That those at the foot should never pass, It was with difficulty that '' 1 --
Or find it easy to get to the head. ,!, _.:.,] into the room, which he : i
remembered as the scene of his ',-..
There wasn't another boy on the line remembered as the scene of his
lore anxious than Jimmy to keep his place; His appearance was greeted with a cheer,
For to be at the head was very fine, but sadly changed were his looks. His
But to go to the foot was a sad disgrace, once glossy coat had an unkempt appear-
ance, while the once proud and erect head
But Jim delighted in games of ball, was lowered in shame.
Polo, tennis or lawn croquet, Come, Billy, take a drink!" said the ser-
And his mind was not on his books at all
When he took his place in the class that day. geant, at the head of the table.
The words seemed to rouse the animal.
'Twas his turn to read, and he started off He I, it... his head, hi c-- lit up, his fore
With an air attentive-a vain pretense, hoof beat the floor- '.i;' a snort, a rush
For the boys around him began to cough, and a bound, Billy butted full against 1,
And nudge and chuckle at Jim's expense. large earthen vessel containing the men's
"You've skipped a line!" whispered enerns Ben, evening allowance of ale, breaking it into a
Who often had helped in this way .:1.,.- thousand pieces. Then, his head once
"You've skipped a line!" shouted Jim, and then, more erect, he stalked l. '.."' out of the
Of course, the school-room was in a roar. room.
"And, i -- 11'," said the corporal who told
As down to the foot Jim went that day, the incident, .1i was the best blue-
HIe learned the lesson that any dunce ribo lectnc e I ever liswned toh "
Migt have known, for we're sure to stray ribbon lecture I ever listened to!
If we try to be in two places at once.
THE T.1AIl. THE HORSE, THE OX AND
Sport when you sport, in an earnest way, TE
With a merry heart and a cheerful face; THE DOG.
But when at your books think not of your play HO i, i. Ox and Do, driven to _-,
Or else you'll certainly lose your place. straits by te cd driven to -t:
straits by the cold, 1 -i.. anu
protection from Man. He received them
BILLY'S TEMPERANCE PRINCIPLES. lI,!9. !i-,i-,-I a fire and warmed r,: ,,, He
ILLY" belonged to a regiment, and made the -Horse free of oats, gave the Ox
Never was a goat more attentive to abundance of hay and fed the, I -. ;i, meat
public duty than was he. In the mess-room from his own table. -- i I for -. fa-
he was a welcome guest, and received many a vors, they determined to -.- ibm to the
dainty morsel there from the friendly hands best ..t'" t. ability. T '. '- .. for this
of the men. One night, however, it hap-- purpose the term of hi.- between them,
opened that Colonel Price, in a spirit of mis- and each -,, 1-.. one TrrH4"' cf t9 '"th the
chief, proposed that the goat should be of- qualities which i : ( .. self.
fered a glass of liquor. Accordirngy, he The Horse chose his earlier' nd ,d en-
coaxingly held out his cup, and 1ill,, after dowed them with his own r, he nice
a suspicious preliminary sniff, quaffed off the every man is in his --.e-a- i r. ,-, head-
contents. Another and yet another of the -'..-i: and obstinate in ,- i i own
men offered Billy a drink, an invitation he opinion. The Ox took r... .."
could not think of declining. the next term of !.. .-. -. in
F;ih ll,11. tl large earthen vessel which held his t.il. 1 age is fond of .. -.
ti.:- I..-,r ,it th.- head of the table was placed labor and resolute to amass an d to
.[, I. tli- tl-.,.r. and Billy wasdirected to help husband his resources. The end life. was
I,,-,, it. wit.:li he proceeded to do with such reserved to the .' .- the i man
!h. *..- .. 1l that he became helplessly, is fi nr.r"- h. rritable, hard to :'-
unmistakably intoxicated. and *. 1, ,i nil- ,, his owna house-
The next morning he was absent from roll- hold, but averse to -.. and to all who
call, and no one could tempt him to leave the do not administer to his .:.:-.:..: or to his
stable during the entire day. When the sec- n r.

A PATRIOT'S PRAYER. by mea' s of his knowledge of the nature and
JOHN G. WHITTIER. habits o. this wondrous insect, is enabled in
0 MAKE Thou us, -i. centuries long, most casek to ward off or evade attack.
S In peace secure, in justice strong;
Around our gift of freedom draw
The safeguards of Thy righteous law; THE YELLOWHAMMER.
And, cast in some diviner mold, WILLIA. SHuRP.
Let the new cycle shame the old! (UT on the waste, a little lonely bird, I flit and I
sing;
My breast is yellow as sunshine, and light as the
THE BEE'S STING A USEFUL TOOL. wind my wing.
NEW champion has arisen to defend The golden gorse me shelters;in the tufted grass is
the honey-bee from the obloquy under my nest,
which it has always rested. Mr. William F. And sweet, sweet, sweets the world, though the wind
whih it hs a s r d 2. blow east or west;
Clarke, of Canada, claims to have discovered
from repeated observations that the most im- The harebells chime their music, the canna floats
portent function of the bee's sting is not white in the breeze,
p1ion u n reenta rte fe st s t y But as for me, I flit to and fro and I sing at my
.1 _- 7_. Ina recent article he says: "My case.
observations and reflections have convinced
me that the most important office of the bee When the thyme is dripping with dew, and the hill
sting is that which is performed in doing the The pnn be t f the gale, loudly I sing my
artistic cell work, capping the comb and in- morning song.
f,,-i- the formic acid by means of which
honey receives its keeping qualities. As I When the sun- beats on the gorse, the broom and
said at D oi, te s g r y a s y the budding heather,
said at Detroit, the sting is really a skillfully I flit from spray to spray, and my song is of the
contrived little trowel, with which the bee golden weather.
Si .; I .. off and caps the cells when they are s to thr r,
filled brimful of honey. This explains why en theoord into their r, and the syis
1..: 1., extracted before it is capped over does I sing of the crescent moon and the single star over-
not keep well. The formic acid has not head.
been ,i', t.,1 into it. This is done in the Out on the waste, out on the waste, I flit all day as I
very ...! putting the last touches on the sing,
cell work. As the little pliant trowel is Sweet, sweet, sweet is the.world--dear world -how
worked to and fro with such dexterity, the beautiful everything !
darts, of which there are two, pierce the Only a little lonely bird that loveth the moorland
plastic cell surface and leave the nectar be- waste,
neath its tiny drops of the fluid, which makes And little perhaps of the joy of the world is that
it keep well. This is the art preservative of which I taste.
honey. A most wonderful provision of But out on the wild, free moorlands, on the gold,
nature, truly Herein we see that the sting gorse boughs I swing,
and the poison bag, with which so many of And sweet, sweet, sweet the world; 0, sweet ah,.
us would like to dispense, are essential to sweet the song that I sing.
the storage of our coveted product, and that
without them the beautiful comb-honey of THE PORKER, THE SHEEP, AND THE-
commerce would be a thing unknown.
If these things are so, how mistaken those GOAT.
people are who suppose the bee is, like the A YOUNG pig was shut up in a fold-yard
prince of evil, always going about prowling with a Goat and a S!.,. p. On one
in search of a victim The fact is that the occasion the '.- pI rl laid hold of him, when
bee attends to its own business very diligent- he grunted and squeaked and resisted vio-
ly, and has no time to waste in unnecessary lently. The Sheep and the Goat complained
quarrels. A bee is like a farmer working of his distressing cries and said: He often
with a fork in his :! ,-f;l1.. He is fully handles us and we do not cry out." To
occupied and very busy. If molested or this he replied: "Your handling and mine
meddled with he will be very apt to defend are very .1 ir..: ...t things. He catches you
himself with the instrument he is working only for your wool or your milk, but he lays.
with. This is what the bee does, and man, hold on me for my very life."

CHIPPY'S HAPPY DAYS. A field-mouse she hunted, and pounced on a frog,
But drew back her paws as it plunged in a bog.
C HIPPY was a little squirrel, born in a Of not the least prize was wee pussy the winner,
_JC beautiful wood at the head of Rosseau And the hungry young creature mewed for her dinner.
Lake in Western Canada. He was a erry What's that ? cried a raven, with fatherly croak,
little C o1,-l of an adventurous -;1i -..-.~', To his youngsters beside him, a-perch on an oak,
and '. in_ somewhat unmindful of parental And the youngsters replied, "Oh, dad, what a joke!
authority, he paid the penalty of his rashness, 'Tis a silly young numbskull, a mite of a cat,
by ', ,, captured one '.i; -1, morning by a A few days ago as blind as a bat,
sharp young fellow who had comni up the That fancies its weak claws could master a rat,
sharp young fellow Who ha com Has walked into your clutches, dear father, so pat-
lake with a ... % i; party. "This will just On your own tree, you'll not stand such nonsense as
do for Lizett ," I.. said, "she is a great girl that!"
for pets and a real live 'iiii.-- will delight
for ets and a eal live will delight y children, be moral," the raven replied,
her in.. -, -1 -. Poor I i1 .,*, was put into Your light tone offends me "-and sadly he sighed-
an empty picnic basket where all was dark "I must punish the young cat-for why? she's a
and 1. .. i 1,, and there he had to stay till next thief."
morning. It seemed ages to him did this So he swooped on poor pussy, and puss came to grief.
brief imprisonment, and when he was releas-
ed, it was only to be put into a wire cage THE DAYS OF CHILDHOOD.
where there was not room for him to stretch WASHGTON IRVIN.
himself, much less to run at will as he had
done in his native forest. .11. ii i he A LL minds, even the dullest, remember
was never I. to know the freed..,1 ..i the the days of their childhood; but all
forest and the -,... 1.. there were happy days cannot bring back the indescribable bright-
in store for him. Lizette was exceedingly ness of that blessed season. They who would
kind to him. I-. brought him nuts and know what 'l,.. once were, must not merely
berries, and he became so tame, thathe would recollect, but they must ; ... ... the hills
come out of his cage and sit on Lizette's lap and i i'.::---if .'. such there were-in which
by the hour. These were !.'MI,, .- '". their childhood i1. .-.1, the torrents, the
days, and for a while he seemed to be quite waterfalls, the lakes, the heather, the rocks,
contented. But the old spirit of adventure the heaven's imperial dome, the raven float-
came upon him, and one 1 the cage door ing !1 a little lower than the eagle in the
1.. i._-' left open, he ventured out into the par- sky. 1 imagine what he then heard and
lor aundthen through the hall into the garden, saw, he must ;i I_ ...- his own nature. He
and was just 1.. _.'I;.._ to .,i his freedom must collect from many vanished hours the
when an angry cat pounced -. fi- him, and power of his untamed heart; and he must,
that was the end of poor Li .,.. Lizette I.' 1',.-, transfuse, also. ..,u ;, i'. of hisma-
cried as l.... 1 her heart would break. Poor turer mind into those .ir,. ii ,-1 his former
_ .i.-- was ... ':.1. and Lizette made a little 1*..: thus linking the past with the present
:,... in the corner of her bed-room, and 1. a continuous chain, which, 1.., 1. often
there -..... its summit poor 1 i.,., sits, invisible, is never broken. So it is too with
h,.. in his hand the nut he can never the calmer i.. i i ..i -. that have -. 1.'.. within
crack, the shelter of a roof. We do not merely re-
member, we i i .. ii father's house, the
TWO OF A TRADE. i 1 all :I- i. 1.11. .. then most 1; -i-.
FTWO of a trade can r '.... now dead and buried, the very manner I I' .
J For a proof of this .i '. :. to me. smile, every tone of his voice. We must
-.. ... with all the passionate and plastic
A silly young Kitten on milk had grown fat, with all the passionate and plastic
But wanted to taste something nicer than that; power oft .'.. .1.. the spirit of a thousand
No more o'er her saucer she .1 r purred, -!:'1 "- hours into one moment; and we must
But. .: longed for a mouse or a bird. invest -.-1i,1 all that we ever ,. II to be vener-
She smacked hI .. .with a foretaste of blood, able, such an :,.. .. as alone can till our I ; i
And set forth .'.,l... alone in a wood. het. is thus that -hich
Mamma Pussy missed her, andl mewed for her II, :.
But on galloped Kitty, with freedom half wild. first aided the :-owth .!' ..I ,.- .. -r and
..: she no lner o jantil ran, happiest .'. ii.. can Dreserve them to us
....1 she no longer so jauntily ran, i .i 1
S I at her leisure each corner to scan :;
She crouched on her '... and wagged her wee tail. For she can bring us back the dean
In hopes that the sparrows would hop from the Even in the loveliest looks they wore."

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. 87

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'A:.I -AMII *
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111 F s--PP DAYS.

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88 SPARKLES FOE BRIGHT EYES.

RESOLUTION. We should do nothing inconsistent with
IF you've any task to do, the spirit and genius of our institutions.
Let me whisper, friend, to you, Do it. We should do nothing for revenge, but every-
If you've. ,..,i,;._ tosay, thing for security; nothing for the past,
True and needed, yea or nay, say it. everything for the present and the future.-
If you've anything to love,
As ai i..: i!.' from above, Love it. They who pass through a foreign country
f y e thg t g to their native home-do not usually give up
That another's joy may live, Give it. themselves to the pleasures of the place.-
Atterbuzry.
If some hollow creed you doubt,
Though the whole world hoot and shout, Doubt it. That which seemeth most casual and sub-
j ect to fortune is yet dispersed by the ordi-
If you know what torch to light, nanpp nf Gorl Riv Wnffpr Pnlpinli
Guiding others through the night Light it. nance of God.-Sir Walter Raleigh.
If you've any debt to pay, One great reason why many children aban-
Rest you neither night nor day, Pay it. don themselves wholly to silly sports, and
trifle away all their time insipidly, is because
Next your heart,les t get cold Hold it. they have found their curiosity balked.-
Locke.
If you've any grief to meet,
At the loving F t feet, Meet it. Any man who puts his life in peril in a
cause which is esteemed, becomes the darling
If you're given light to see ofallmen.-E rso.
What a child of God should be, See it.
In the man whose childhood has known
Whether life be bright or drear,
here's a message, sweet and clear, caresses, there is always a fibre of memory
Whispered down to every ear; Hear it. that can be touched to gentle issues.- George

HONEY FROM WISE LIPS.
MOTHER'S SATURDAY NIGHT.
IT is well to think well; it is divine to act
Swell.-Horace MAann. PLACING the little hats all in a row,
L Ready for church on the morrow, you know;
Reason is the life of the law- the law Washing wee faces and little black fists,
which is the perfection of labor.- Coke. Getting them ready and fit to be kissed;
Putting them into clean garments and white--
The right of private judgment is absolute That is what mothers are doing to-night.
in every American citizen.--James A. Gar-
field. Spying out holes in the little worn hose,
Laying by shoes that are worn through the toes,
Old men's eyes are like old men's memo- Looking o'er garments so faded and thin-
ries; they are strongest for things a long Who but a mother knows where to begin?
way off.- George Eliot. i'-1i -_i,, a button to make it look right -
T ii rt, hat mothers are doing to-night.
There is a small chance of truth at the
goal where there is not a child-like humility Calling her little ones all round her chair,
at the starting-post.- S C. C.;, .'. .. Hearing them lisp forth their evening prayer,
Telling them stories of Jesus of old,
When you are in prosperity you need seek Who loved to gather the lambs to His fold;
no other 1-. -., -, ,, - r him who envies you Watching, they listen with weary delight-
than the mortification he has from it.- That is what mothers are doing to-night.
Eastern Proverb.
Creeping so softly to take a last peep
There are very .v. things in this world After the little ones all are asleep;
worth .:lt lui ;. .v about, and they are Anxious to know if the children are warm,
precisely the things which anger does not Tucking the blanket round each little form;
Kissing each little face, rosy and bright-
help.- Henry J. Raymond. That is what mothers are 'doing to-night.
No city-bred man has any business to ex-
pect satisfaction in a pure country life for Kneeling down gently beside the white bed,
Lowly and meekly she bows down her head,
two months unless he has a genius for leisure Pravol and only a mother can pray,
and even laziness.- Henry Ward Beecher. uc.-i ii..- and keep them from going astray!"

t, -4 ,J t, J,~~~. an epte'ro on sry

SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES. S

_ _- .: ... .: :- '

"IjD ik: .

2-. -. _. _- i f
-. -y /-v--.- .--.--- -_.-:-.---l t., -- ...' | .

AA O 1A YT

ill i,

90 SPA T;T.L; FOR BRIGHT EYES.

THE FAITHFUL BROTHER. And they never made merry on Christmas day--
It would savor of Pope and Rome;
-/ANY years ago the Indians in a settle- And never was there a Christmas-tree,
V ment not far away fro,, 't. Paul re- Set up in a Puritan home.
solved upon a wild raid and massacre, They And Christmas eve, in the chimney-place,
threatened to scalp every white man, woman There was nevc -i... .:;.. 1.....
and child they came near. Tlh. started There never was .... I '!.!j-i..... wreath,
upon their dreadful work, and it ji had not There was never a carol sung.
been for the timely aid of the authorities a Sweet little Ruth, with her flaxen hair
terrible-massacre would have taken place. All neatly braided and tied,
As it was, many lives were lost. One brave Was sitting one old December day
little fellow was out in the woods and heard At her pretty young mother's side.
their wild war-whoop, and was greatly terri- She listened, speaking never a word,
fled. not for himself alone but for his younger With her serious, thoughtful look,
brother, who was too feeble to run far. A To the Christmas story her mother read
happy thought occurred to him, he knew Out of the good old Book.
the river was shallow, so he took his brother "I'11 tell thee, Ruth!" her mother cried,
on his back, and waded up the river more HAerself scarce more than a girl,
o i c, n w d h rier T As she smoothed her little daughter's hair,
than two miles to a place of safety. In this Lest it straggle out into a curl,
brave act he probably saved two lives, for
when the anger of the Indian is aroused he ""f thy stt be sipun each da this week,
And thou toil like the busy bee,
shows no mercy. A Christmas present on Christmas day
1 promise to give to thee."
DAY AND NIGHT. And then she talked of those merry times
She never could quite forget;
JAMES NEWTON MATTHEWS. The Christmas cheer, the holly and yule-
i. She was hardly a Puritan yet.
HIEN drowsy Day draws round his downy bed She talked of those dear old English days,
V The Tyrian tapestries of gold and red, With tears in her loving eyes,
And weary of his flight And little Ruth heard like a Puritan child,.
Blows out the palace light- With a quiet though glad surprise.
'Tis night!
But nevertheless she I i,.. 1 i of her gift,
IT. As much as would ,. ..I you,
When languid Night, awakening with a yawn, Ai.. i ., ;i round, each day of the week,
Leaps down the moon-washed stairway of the dawn, i i, I ,1.. spinning-wheel flew.
In trailing disarray,
Sweeping the dews away- Tired little Ruth! but oh, she thought
'Tis day! She was paid for it after all,
SWhen her mother gave her on Christmas day
A little Puritan doll.
SERVING GOD IN THE SUNSHINE. 'Twas made of a piece of a homespun sheet,
F. w. FABER. Dressed in a homespun gown
Cut --t like Ruth's, and a little cap
T ET us serve God in the sunshine. We --,' a stiff white muslin crown.
I shall then serve Him all the better in
the dark, when He sends it. Only let our A primly folded muslin cape-
I don't think one of you all
light be Gods light, ad our darkness God's Would have been so old as to dare to play
darkness, and we shall be safe at home when WVith that dignified Puritan doll.
the great nightfall comes. Dear little Ruth showed her delight
In her queer little quiet way;
She did not say much, but she held her doll
RUTH'S CHRISTMAS BOX. In her arms all Christmas day.
O UR Puritan fathers, slern and good, And when at twilight her mother read
Had never a holiday; That Christmas story o'er,
Sober and earnest seemed life to them- Happy Ruth took the sweetness of it in
They only stopped working to pray. As she never had done before.
And the little Puritan maidens learned And then (she always said "good-night"
Their catechisms through; When the shadows began to fall)
And spun their stints, and wove themselves She was so happy she went to .1.. !.
Their garments of homely blue. Still holding her Christmas 1. .11

WHEN OLD JACK DIED. habitually confined in an underground cell,
JAMES WRITCOMB RILEY. whence he was only taken to work with his
fellow convicts in the prison yard; but his
ferocity long remained untamed. At last it
TTHEN old Jack died we staid from school (they was observed that he grew rather more calm
VV said and docile, without apparent cause for the
At home we needn't go that day) and none change, till one day, when he was working
Of us ate any breakfast only one
And that was papa, and his eyes were red with his comrades, a large rat suddenly
When he came round where we were, by the shed, leaped from the breast of his coat and ran
Where Jack was lying, half way in the sun across the yard. Naturally the cry was
And half in the shade. When we begun raised to kill the rat, and the men were pre-
To cry out loud pa turned and dropped his head p t t s i i
And went away; and mamma, she went back pared to throw stones at it, when the convict
Into the kitchen. Then, for a long while, hitherto so ferocious, with a sudden out-
All to ourselves like, we stood there and cried burst of feeling, implored them to desist and
We thought so many good things of old Jack, allow him to recover his favorite. The pris-
And funny things, although we didn't smile- on officials for once were guided by happy
e couldn't -only cry, when Old Jack died compassion, and i,, fi' him to call back his
iL rat, which came to his voice and nestled
When old Jack died it seemed a human friend back in his dress. The. convict's gratitude
Had suddenly gone from us; that some face was as strong as his rebellious disposition
That we had loved to fondle and embrace had hitherto proved, and from that day he
From babyhood, no more would condescend proved submissive and orderly. After some
To smile on us forever. We might bend
With tearful eyes above him, interlace years he became the trusted assistant of the
Our chubby fingers o'er him, romp and race, jailers, and finally was killed in defending
Plead with him, call and coax- aye, we might send them against a mutiny of other convicts.
The old halloo up for him, whistle, hist The love of that humble creature finding a
(If sobs had let us) or, as wildly vain, place in his rough heart had changed his
Snapped thumbs, called speak!" and he had place in his roug heat ha clanged his
not replied; whole character. Who shall limit the mir-
We might have gone down onour knees and kissed acles to be wrought by affection, when the
The tousled ears, and yet they must remain love of a rat could transform a man?
Deaf, motionless, we knew-when Old Jack
[died.
m. IN AUTUMN.
When old Jack died it seemed to us, some way, M. KELLY.
That all the other dogs in town were pained th h my t with long eyes;
WTithourberea:!j- .., ,, Ia L00IaED through my lattice with longing eyes;
venitounslipped -, 1, idatwere chained, The North Wind blew in the autumn skies
To visit Jack in state, as though to pay With Frost neathh his wing (twin comrades, Iween!);
A last sad tribute there, while neighbors craned The shadows were routing the lances of gold;
Their heads above the high board fence and deigned To the sweetest of music from players unseen
To sigh "h Poor dog i" remembering how they The boughs swayed in time, e'en just as of old
Had cuffed him when alive, perchance, because When Pt i! 1 .. 1 1 is measures; and over the wold
For love of them he leaped to lick their hands- Autumn I'.. I. i I lingered where summer had been.
Nov, that he could not, were they satisfied? But starlight and silence came over the land,
We children thought that, as we crossed his paws, And with sunset strayed singing, the sweet siren
And o'er his grave, 'way down the bottom-lands, band
Wrote Our First Love Lies Here," when Old Of unseen players, away o'er the sea;
[Jack died. The wind drove the mists with hurrying speed
O'er hilltops, and pine woods, and many a lea;
THE FRENCH CONVICT AND THE But the Frost staid behind and reigned supreme;
RAT. His spell was broadcast; and soft as a dream
Strewed he gifts on my lattice, both royal and free.
E VEN rats are not without their good
qualities. Frances Power Cobbe tells There were shells, and wings, and crystal bells,
Si .Icicles, mermaids and fairy dells;
us a story of a French convict who was re- There were nameless treasures that no one sees
formed by a rat -a man who was long the Save those who searched for the wondrous things
terror of prison authorities. Time after That grow in the Isles of Hesperides.
time he had broken out and made savage as- He had drawn his magical wand o'er the pane
salts on his jailers. Stripes and chains had W ill another hand sculpte hsh st e forms as
been multiplied year after year, and he was these!"

JOHN B. GOUGH. Then "Fire! fire! fire!" on shipboard.
rTIHERE is not a great city in America or All hands were called up; buckets of water
1 Canada, in England, Ireland or Scot- were clashed on the fire, but in vain. There
land, where the eloquent voice of John B. were large quantities of resin and tar on
Gough, the great apostle of Temperance has board, and it was found useless to attempt to
not been heard. In early life Mr. Gough save the ship. The passengers rushed for-
was addicted to intemperate habits, and ward and inquired of the pilot, "How far are
seemed destined to become a fatal victim to we from Buffalo?"
the curse of drink, but by brave and cour- Seven miles."
ageous resistance he conquered the evil habit, "How long before we wcan reach there?"
and from that day to his death he devoted "'l ...-.- quarters of an hour, at our pres-
himself to the earnest advocacy of Temper- ent rate of steam."
ance. By his ceaseless appeals thousands have "Is there any danger?"
been led into the paths of virtue and sobriety. "Danger! Here, see the smoke bursting
Mr. Gough amassed a considerable fortune, out!-go forward, if you would save your
but his charities were large and ample, and lives!"
his beautiful home at Hillside was a more de- Passengers and crew-men, women and
sirable dwelling place than the palaces of children-crowded the forward part of the
kings. Mr.. Gough died at work. His last ship. John Maynard stood at the helm.
words were words of earnest entreaty. His The flames burst forth in a sheet of fire;
work was done to the last syllable, and then clouds of smoke arose.
"he was not," for God took him from the The captain cried out through his h miL.f.
tasks and toils of earth to the land of rest "John M.,- i',. i!"
and peace. "Ay, ay, sir!"
Are vou at the helm?"
GAIN A LITTLE EVERY DAY. "Ay, ay, sir!"
wrITArl s. BsnU. "How does she head?"
i WIL T+i_ t BURR.South-east by east, sir.U
(-g AIN a little useful knowledge "South-east by east, sir."
VT Every day, my boy. "tHead her south-east, and run her on
Search for secrets that are hidden shore," said the captain. Nearer, nearer,
In your tool or toy; yet nearer, she approached the shore.
Do not shrink from wlhen and iherefore, Again the captain cried out, "John May-
How and which and wkwy- ,
Ti. are helpers to prepare you nard!
1. i the by-and-by. The response came feebly this time, "Ay,
By-and-by, when to your labor ay, sir!"
aYou go forth-a man, "Can you hold on five minutes l.:.'..r.
And the goal you seek seems saying, John ?" he said.
Gain me, if you can!" By God's help, I will!"
A .. acorn holds an oak tree; The old man's hair was scorched from the
It success may find scalp; one hand was disabled;-his knee
Its 1;,,,; ;,, lie richness
C 1 ...... I mind. upon the stanchion, his teeth set, his other
hand upon the wheel, he stood firm as a rock.
OHN MAYNAR, TH RAVE P T He beached the ship; every man, woman,
JOHN MAYNARD, THE BRAVE PILOT. and child was saved, as John Maynard
JonS 3. CoB.rO *1j..ii..*1. and his spirit took its flight to
TOHN MAYNARD was well known in God.
the lake district as a ...1- f. ,,_. hon-
est, and intelligent man. He was pilot on a THORNS OR FLOWERS.
steamboat from Detroit to Inil I.... Olie
summer afternoon-at that time those steam- GERALD MASSEY.
ers seldom carried boats-smoke was seen -HERE is no lack of kindness
ascending from below; and the captain called I In this world of ours;
out, "Simpson, go below and see what the Only inour .I1.1... -
matter is down there." We gather 1V..' 1-.I' flowers.
Simpson came up with his face as pale as Oh, ceris God's bes giving,
Falling fromarbove i
ashes, and said, "Captain, the ship is on Life were not worth living
fire!" Were it not for love.

A LIFE WORTH LIVING. eastern fashion, a remote or inner court for
I LIVE for those who love me, the apartments of the females, accessible only
For those I know are true, by an outer court for those of the males, and
For the heaven that smiles above me, of the servants. The information conveyed
And awaits my spirit too; to us in the works of Vitruvius has received
For the human t ies that bind me, singular illustration and confirmation within
For the task by God assigned me,
For the bright hopes left behind me, a period less than a century, from the exca-
And the good that 1 can do. nations at Pompeii, Herculaneum, and
Stabia, cities which were overwhelmed by a
I live to learn their story, tremendous eruption of Vesuvius in A. D.
WhTo 've suffered for my sake, 79, and which contained houses built and in-
To emulate their glory,
And follow in their wake- habited by Romans belonging to the age of
Birds, martyrs, patriots, sages, Vitruvins. The excavations exhibit curiously
The nobles of all ages, paved streets, having the tracks of carriage
Whose deeds crown history's pages, wheels marked on them, and houses built of
d Time's great volume makebrick and rubble-work put together with
I live to hail the season, mortar, all the materials being of very infer-
By gifted minds foretold, ior quality, except the interior coating of
When men shall rule by reason, plaster, to which they appear to have been
And not alone by gold- ,;l, indebted for their durability. This
When man to man united,
And every wrong thing righted, plaster was composed of lime and pounded
The whole world shall be lighted marble, a substitute for stucco, and by its
As was Eden of old. use a perfectly smooth and polished surface
I live to hold com n as obtained, nearly as hard as marble.
With all that is divine, With this kind of stucco the smallest apart-
To feel there is a union ments at Pompeii are found to be lined;
'Twixt nature's heart and mine. and this lining is painted with various and
To profit by affliction, brilliant colors, and embellished with subjects
Reap truths from fields of fiction, either in the center or at equal distances,
Grow wiser from conviction,
And fulfil each grand design. like panels. Painted imitations of varie-
gated marbles, f. ,Ii._-. perhaps, a species of
I live for those who love me, scagliola, also decorate the walls of their
For those who know me true, houses. Few blocks of real marble are
For he even thatsmiles above me, found, except in monuments and public
And awaits my spirit too;
For the wrong that needs resistance buildings; though in imitation of the
For the cause that lacks assistance, wealthy Romans, the Pompeians inserted
For the future in the distance, pieces or slabs of this material in their walls,
And the good that I can do. and employed art to give them higher tints
than those tl,..- possessed by nature. They
also discovered a method of veining slabs
HOMES OF THE ANCIENT ROMANS. with gold; and leaves of this metal covering
the beams, walls and even roofs of the houses,
T HE internal courts were usually con- were introduced in great profusion. They
Sstructed so that each was surrounded covered their floors with cement, in which
by apartments which, when lighted from small pieces of marble or colored stones
within, prevented the domestic concerns of were regularly ,embedded in geometrical
the family from being overlooked by any one forms ; and in their best rooms they used
not included within the walls. From a pass- mosaic (inlaid work) with ornamental mar-
age in Plautus, it does not appear that this gins and a device in the center. The doors
construction ::,.l-i answered the purpose ; of their houses, being formed of wood, have
and in Seneca mention is made of the annoy- been reduced to charcoal by the burning
ance to which the neighbors were subjected lava, and of course are found in an incom-
from the disorderly conduct of those persons plete state ; they turned on pivots and were
who changed night into day by indulging in fastened by bolts which hung upon chains.
the false 1.-ii-n. 11,, nt and late hours of the age Bedsteads are found, made both of wood and
in which he lived. In the Roman houses, iron; but their beds were made generally of
also, there appears to have been, after the carpets and vests spread upon the ground. The

SPARI ILL-. FOR BRIGHT EYES. 97

articles of household furniture and conveni- A LITTLE BOY'S SERMON.
ence found in these remarkable ruins are uten- DDIE," said Harry, "I'l be a minister
sils of every kind in silver, brass, stone, and and reach you a sermon." "Well,"
earthenware, with vases of every size and said Eddie, "I'll be the peoples." Harry be-
adapted to every use; trumpets, bells, grid- gan, "IMy text is a short and easy one-' Be
irons, colanders, saucepans (some lined with gind.' There are som e little texts in the
ro, TKind.' There are some little texts in the
silver) kettles, ladles, molds for jelly or Bible on purpose for little children, and this
pastry, urns for keeping water hot on the is one of them. These are the headsof my
principle of the modern tea-urn, horn-lan- sermon:
terns, spits, and, in fact, every article of First: Be kind to papa, and don't make a
kitchen or other furniture used by us, except noise when he has a headache. I don't
forks chain, bolts, scourges, dice (some said believe you know what a headache is, but I
to be Joaded); a complete toilet, with combs, do. I had one once, and I did not want to
thimbles, rings, paint, pins, earrings, pearls, hear any one speak a word.
etc. -" Second: Be kind to mamma, and do not
make her tell you to do a thing more than once.
ROSE AND DAISY. It is very tiresome to say, 'It is time for
JOSEPHINE A. CASS. you to go to bed,' half-a-dozen times over.
THE Daisy lifted her eyes to the Rose, 7 ..: Be kind to baby "You have
SThe Daisy that grew so low, left out be kind to Harry," interrupted Eddie.
At the summer day's dim, shadowy close, Yes," said Harry, I didn't mean to men-
When the south began to blow, tion my own name in the sermon. I was
And the blush of the sky at the parting kiss I
Of the sun was paling slow. i. : Be kind to little Minnie, and let her
have your 'red soldier' to play with when
And she wondered why, as daisies will, she wants it.
God made the Rose so fair;
And, drowsily nodding, wondered still "Fourth: Be kind to Jane, and don't scream
Till sleep o'ertook her there- and kick when she washes and dresses you."
A sleep so deep she knew it not Here Eddie looked a little ashamed, and
When the south wind touched her hair. said, "But she pulled my hair with the
But the south wind's touch aroused a dream; comb." "People musn't talk in meeting,"
In a heavenly garden plot said Harry.
Beside a clear and winding stream "Fifth: Be kind to Kitty. Do what will
That fed the forget-me-not, make
Thatwo did seem ('ts but a dream) make her purr, and don't do what will make
To grow and share one lot! her cry." "Isn't the sermon most done?"
asked Eddie: "I want to sing." And with-
They two did grow as sisters dear, out waiting for Harry to finish his discourse
And the Daisy's weary head,
With never a thought of doubt or fear, or give out a hymn; he began to sing, and so
On the Rose's breast was laid- Harry had to stop.
For the mother-heart stooped and drew it near-
The little, motherless head.
But the night -, inl passed and the Daisy woke; PENITENT AUTUMN.
And queenly above her there WILLIAM HAMILTON IAYNE.
The Rose smiled on.' T t.. morning broke,
And flushed the sapphire air, N Southern thickets
And she wondered still, as daisies will, The oaks are red,
Why roses grow so fair. Their summer beauty
Has wholly fled!
The green was pilfered
PURE LITERATURE. By frosty eves,
But penitent autumn
JOSEPH PARKER. Requites their leaves.
T is right for you, young men to enrich With crimson color
yourselves with the spoils of all pure lit- The oaks are gay-
erature, but he who would make a favorite of Their sylvan glory
a bad book, simply because it contained a Is great today!
few beautiful passages, might as well caress They have a respite
the hand of the assassin because of the jew- By autumn kissed
elry that sparkles on his fingers. Into brilliant bloom!

98 SPARKLES FOR BRIGHT EYES.

'TIS BETTER NOT TO KNOW. my father only taught me the trade of a
D. HAUGHTON. butcher?"
THE hand of mercy lights the past.
But hides the future ill; THE GEORGIA WATERMELON.
It tempers every stormy blast pROM the banks of old St. Mary's,
And bids us onward still. F From the rolling Tybee River,
Whatever cloud may darkly rise From the shores of the Oconee
Or storm may wildly blow, And the classic Withlacoochee,
Whatever path before us lies, The Ogeechee, the Ocmulgee,
'Tis better not to know. Brier Creek and Ochlochonee,
Sf m f o b From the Flint and the Savannah,
Our friends may falter one by one Beautiful Altamaha and
And leave us to our fate, Sunny Brunswick's breezy bay,
If but the staff we lean upon Shortly comes the watermelon,
May still support our weight; Comes the Georgia watermelon,
Unconquered by a dream of ill, Laden with the sweets of Southland.
Unburdened as we go,
The storm may break beyond, but still, With the Syndicate's permission
'Tis better not to know. Soon will come this luscious melon,
If faith inhuman constancy Pride of every native Georgian.
If faith inhuman constancy It will come from Chattahoochee,
Be but a dream at best h Milledgeville and Hatcher's Station,
If falsehood lurk where love should be, Buzzard Roost and Tallapoosa,
Yet in that dream I'm blest; Tuckahoe and Sugar Valley,
If warning of a coming wrong Double Branches, Coosawattee,
Cannot avert the blow, Nankin. Nickajack, Jamaica,
If 1;,.. 1,.1>. fail to make me strong- Jimps, Geneva, Marietta,
.. i, .r.., not to know. Hickory Flat and Okapilco,
And if within my brother's heart Gully Branch, Mazeppa, Ophir,
A buried hatred lies; Hard Cash, Plains of Dura, Jasper,
If friendship be an acted part, Long Pond, Two Run, Hannahatchee,
His smile a cold d:; -.. -. Huckleberry, Perkins Junction,
The :,....--1.-.1-..: would each blessing dim, Riddleville, Persimmon, Trickum,
And not a boon bestow-- I- ni.1 cDade, Suwanee,
Ah! leave me still my trust in him, A"\i ". !. every little clearing
'Tis better not to know. From Atlanta to the seashore,
Where there lives a Georgia Cracker
In the pride of his half acre.
THE DOGS AND THE FOX.
Let it come, this watermelon,
SOME Dogs, fit ilng the skin of a lion, be- This imperial Georgia melon,
gan to tear it in pieces with their teeth. Stay it not as north it cometh.
A Fox, seeing them, said, If this lion were Though the crop will be two millions,
alive, you would soon find out that his claws Yet there's room for millions more.
were stronger than your teeth."
It is easy to kick a man who is down. THE PEACOCK AND JUNO.
THE Peacock made complaint to Juno
TH AS AND THE WOLFthat, while the Nightingale pleased every
THE ASS AND THE WOLF. ear with his song, he no sooner opened 'his
A N Ass, feeding in a meadow, saw a Wolf mouth than he became a laughing-stock to
approaching to seize him, and imme- all who heard him. The Goddess, to console
diately pretended to be lame. The Wolf, him, said: But you far excel in beauty and
coming up, inquired the cause of his lame- size. The splendor of the emerald shines in
ness. The Ass said that passing through a your neck, and you unfold a tail gorgeous
hedge he trod with his foot upon a sharp with painted plumage." "But for what
thorn, and requested the Wolf to pull it out, purpose have I," said the bird, "this dumb
lest when he supped on him it should inijur beauty so long as I am surpassed in song?"
his throat. TheWolf ..i, 1 ii;.,. and LIt':, "The lot of each," replied Juno, "has been
up the foot and I.;i, his whole mind to i-,I. ,...1 by the will of the Fates--to thee,
the discovery of the thorn, the Ass with his beauty; to the eagle, strength; to the night-
heels kicked his teeth into his mouth and -',. i. song; to the raven, favorable, and to
galloped away. The Wolf, being thus fear- the crow, unfavorable, auguries. These are
fully mauled, said: "I am rightly served, for all contented with the endowments allotted
why did I attempt the art of healing, when to them."